Age of Stars: Episode III
by Silver as the Rain
Summary: The final instalment. The final episode. With her people destroyed and the Empire now holding full dominion over the galaxy, Jupiter has no choice but to hide herself away and disappear completely, carrying along with her all the pain and grief of loss and a broken soul which will leave a scar more brutal than anything she has ever experienced before.
1. Chapter 1

Meditation became the key to finding other Jedi lost in the galaxy. Those that were more experienced and wise were able to conceal themselves from the Empire, which made it more difficult for Jupiter to locate them through the Force, however eventually she began to find traces of those once believed long lost. It gave her hope. The training of the younger generation continued on Typhon in secret, where the Jedi Masters and Knights guarded over the infants diligently as they continued to learn the ways of the Order.

Meanwhile, it was Jupiter's responsibility to bring others such as themselves to sanctuary and ensure that the Sith did not find them. It was difficult and sometimes took too long, but eventually, Jupiter would find them. "Stay with me Roo, we are entering dangerous territory from here on in." Jupiter warned as she guided her shuttle towards a planet under heavy Empire control, listening to Roo beep back at her nervously. "It will be alright, just stay alert. Hopefully, they will not even notice us." This was Jupiter being optimistic, however there was little other choice.

She could sense that there was someone hidden here, a Jedi of considerable strength, however Jupiter could not tell exactly who it was. Beginning her landing sequence, Jupiter landed in the heavily guarded space port where she immediately began to determined where the lookout points were located as well as the guard rotations, weapon status and the likelihood that a quick escape would be manageable. "Stay with the ship Roo, prepare for a quick take off." She warned before exiting, drawing up her hood.

Jupiter wore a completely new set of clothes to better blend in, no longer staying with her Jedi attire. Having abandoned her usual theme of grey, Jupiter wore earthy tones of browns and greens, simply dressed in a plain shirt with an upturned collar and larger sleeves that billowed softly as she walked along with the sweep of her cloak, the hood pulled over her face with a holster belt attached to her upper thigh where she carried a single blaster gun. Under her sleeves were a pair of specially designed bracers where she concealed her two lightsabers, the sleeves allowing her to easily draw them if necessary.

Leaving the space port after flashing a permit at the warden, Jupiter entered the city, following her senses. Clone troopers patrolled every street and she suspected that they were also searching for the Jedi that had drawn her here. There was a certain static energy to the air, a tenseness that would not shift and as she looked, the people whispered to one another, anxious and afraid. They knew that the occupation was because of something other than simply seizing control over their resources, they had heard the rumours.

Determined to find the Jedi before the troopers, Jupiter continued to sweep forwards. She could envision a warehouse, run down and abandoned yet she was certain that that was where she needed to begin her search, so she followed her instincts. As two troopers approached, Jupiter carefully slid out of their way, not making to hide as it would only draw attention to herself. In order to blend perfectly, she must conceal all intentions away from those observing her, keeping her emotions and thoughts to herself. Once the troopers had passed, however, Jupiter pressed forwards, heading towards the more industrial side of the city where she walked the streets and did not stop until she had found the warehouse. This was the place, she could sense a strong aura of the Force inside.

Waiting a moment to be certain that she had not been followed or was being watched, Jupiter entered the old warehouse, immediately seeing that it was a dangerous place that threatened to collapse at any moment. It was a good place to hide, however not for very long. Even as Jupiter walked inside one of the boards creaked, causing an echo which then made the very foundations shiver, dust becoming unsettled from where it collected above. Movement caught her eye and Jupiter instantly relaxed.

"It is alright, I am not here to hurt you." Jupiter spoke softly, lifting her hands up to signal that she did not intend to be a threat. "I am here to save you, little ones." She could sense them both clearly now, a youngling and a padawan, both fearful and very much exhausted from the long fight they had battled through these past few months just to simply survive. Pulling back her hood Jupiter revealed her features, hearing movement from above and she lifted her eyes, seeing a shape shifting among the shadows, trying to get a better look at the intruder. "I promise. My name is Master Tan-Jinn, I can take you to a place where you will be safe."

"We do not know anyone of that name and we do not know what you're talking about." A male voice called out defensively, earning a placatory smile from Jupiter who continued to hold her gloved hands up in surrender. "We're just orphans."

"I understand you are afraid, young ones, but I can sense your fears as clearly as I can sense where you are." She revealed before carefully lowering one hand down to point to a specific spot where the boy had spoken from. "Kale Jacinto, padawan learner and apprentice to Master Yimunoosa." Jupiter said, her eyes closed as she meditated, the image of the boy appearing in her mind. Broad shouldered, independent, very bold and questioning, yet protective of those weaker than him. Stern brown eyes and black hair braided down to his shoulders with his padawan braid longer than the rest and dyed blue. "And Erin Jacinto, your younger sister and youngling." Her other hand pointed upwards into the rafters, however in answer the younger girl gasped and stumbled backwards, immediately upsetting the balance of the fragile supports.

The floorboards cracked and broke underneath her, a sudden crashing sound rushing outward with a plume of dust as Erin gave a louder cry of fear, falling downwards through the floor on the upper level as her brother cried out her name. "Erin!" Without needing to think Jupiter lifted her hand and instantly Erin floated, the debris also slowing its descent around her and moving aside as Jupiter guided everything, maintaining control over the situation before finally she settled the youngling in front of her. No wonder the Force had led her here, there was not just one but two that desperately needed her protection.

Erin was thin and lanky, much unlike her brother though she had the same eyes and style hair, copper-caramel skin greasy and dirt stricken from their long days on the run. "Hello there." Jupiter greeted warmly, lowering herself down to her knees before Erin to meet her gaze. "There is no reason to be afraid, I am like you."

"Who are you? This is a trap, it must be, we aren't anybody! Leave my sister alone!" Kale declared as he inched out of his hiding space, however Jupiter made a calming motion with her hand and the weapon that he carried, his lightsaber, immediately flew from where he concealed it behind him to rush into Jupiter's awaiting hand.

"Simple scavengers do not carry such weapons." She reasoned however to further prove her honesty, Jupiter drew out her own lightsaber and showed it to them, revealing the orange blade. "Surely now you know who I am? I am quite famous for this blade, though I should not really reveal it here." Their faces grew lax in astonishment, staring at the lightsaber in wonder. Jupiter felt her heart go out to these poor young Jedi. They were starving and their clothes filthy, ripped and torn from where they had no doubt fought to escape the temple and then flee from Coruscant, ending up here. "Now do you believe me, younglings?"

"You're Master Jupiter, Jedi General of the one hundredth and twelfth battalion!" Kale immediately recognised, his jaw dropping before he hastily bowed, glancing across to his sister before giving her a quick tap to signal she should do the same. "Forgive us master, we have been running for several months now and we were beginning to lose all hope that anyone else had survived."

"Hush, you must remain quiet of such things, for you never know who might be listening." Jupiter murmured to them both, reaching out and drawing them to her. "Now I shall take you both away from here and bring you to a place of safety. But we cannot talk here, come with me. I shall protect you now." Standing up to her full height, Jupiter held out her hand and the children paused, glancing to one another. Kale, although the older and protective older brother, looked to his sister for her lead, not wanting to take her anywhere she did not want to go, however Erin could not take her eyes away from Jupiter.

She seemed to glow in the light of the pale sunbeams that entered the dark and dusky warehouse, which began to shudder around them. Prompted by the deep growling and rumbling of the warehouse, Erin hurriedly grabbed Jupiter's hand and allowed the Jedi Master to lead them forwards. The entrance was clear so Jupiter led them outside, however to remain as out of sight from the imperial troops as possible, Jupiter tucked them both close to her and drew her cloak around them, keeping them from sight. "Stay close to me, first we will find you food and a proper change of clothes."

"Yes master."

"And do not call me master out here, you must call me René so that I will not be so recognisable." Understanding the predicament, the children went silent. Erin gulped nervously, trying to feel brave however her tiny heart continued to hammer against her chest so she gripped onto Jupiter's hands more tightly for security. She was pleasantly surprised when Jupiter reassured her with a more secure grip, her hand seemingly engulfing Erin's as her entire hand could wrap around just one of Jupiter's fingers.

Knowing that her shuttle would be being watched closely, Jupiter instead took the children to a minor hotel where they could freshen up. "Here, I have spare clothes for you to change into. Use the facilities as you wish, we will be staying here for a little while." Jupiter instructed as she pulled out the supplies she had brought with her, laying them on the bed however Erin continued to attach herself to Jupiter, unwilling to move away from her. "It is alright little one, I am right here. Do you want help washing in the bath or are you able to manage on my own?" Jupiter's large and kind eyes drew Erin in as the woman smiled, reaching out and brushing a hand against her cheek.

"My sister hasn't talked since the attack. She saw a lot of her friends being cut down before my master and I rescued her." Kale informed her darkly, gripping his fists tightly as the anger and rage began to settle deep into his bones. "My master then sacrificed himself to save us, allowing us to escape through the warrens where we became lost in the underground before eventually managing to board a cargo ship in secret. We have been running ever since." Nodding her head, Jupiter looked back down to Erin before she placed a hand against the child's back and pulled her closer, tucking her in close to embrace her.

"You have both been very brave, little ones, however the nightmare is over now. Before long you will be away from harm and in a place where you will not be found again." Jupiter assured them both, rubbing calming circles into Erin's back as the girl remembered seeing her friends being shot down by the clone troopers who had been playing with them only moments beforehand. Tears swept to the surface and Erin began to cry softly before all at once letting go, weeping into Jupiter's shoulder as the older woman held her close. "I shall protect you."

Jupiter bathed Erin and washed her hair before then helping her to dry and change into the fresh civilian clothing that she had brought with her. "There, now you two look more like ordinary children." She teased them gently before rising to her feet and gestured to the bed. "Rest a while. There is food here for you already so help yourselves. Whilst I am gone, you must not leave this room. We will leave late tonight at the changing of the patrols to optimise our chances of escape."

"Why can't we just fly out of here?" Kale demanded to know, brow furrowing deeply. "If we're posing as civilians then the imperials will have no reason to stop us, will they?"

"They know that you are here, Kale." Jupiter explained as Erin hungrily began to devour food rations, cramming them into her mouth so Jupiter gently guided her to slow down and chew properly before swallowing. "They will be searching every single ship that leaves this planet to ensure that you are not attempting to escape. Although your connection to the Force is not strong enough to be noticeable because of your lack of training, the both of you together cause enough of a disturbance that has been noted by the Jedi hunters. Also, by ransacking the temple, the Empire have managed to attain a record of all possible live Jedi, from younglings all the way up to the Master rank. Your information will be stored there also as there was no proof of demise upon the attempt to purge the Jedi from the galaxy."

"Oh, right." Kale said, rubbing his head a little guiltily so Jupiter reached out and placed a hand upon his shoulder.

"Do not be concerned, Kale, I have already planned for this. We must simply bide our time and trust in the Force. I have an idea that will hopefully work, however we must be patient and wait for the opportune time." Jupiter could immediately sense that Kale did not like the thought of having to wait as he started to pace whilst Erin lounged happily upon the bed, curling up and tucking herself in to nap like a sleeping kitten. Satisfied that both were well taken care of and safe for the time being, Jupiter rose to her feet and quietly exited the room, glancing around before stealing away to make the preparations necessary and contact Roo to make certain that he was prepared to leave.


	2. Chapter 2

The tension that hung heavily in the air made Erin increasingly nervous and Jupiter could sense it deeply from within her so she placed a comforting arm around her as they walked. "Roo, be ready to fly." Jupiter murmured with her earpiece activated so that Roo could hear her. He gave a quiet and short beep in response to signal that he understood, preparing the ship to leave in a great hurry. Jupiter glanced around, noticing that there was more security than usual and that many troopers were stopping children in the streets and trying to match their profiles.

"How are we going to get past them?" Kale whispered urgently, his eyes darting around with a pounding heart however Jupiter merely smiled serenely.

"If we remain calm, they will not notice us. You must let go of your concerns and enter a state of tranquillity so that the Force will surround and conceal you. Draw yourself in and you shall pass like an unnoticed shadow." She guided simply, keeping both children close to her as they passed a couple of troopers who were searching the back of a shop, entering by force. "And fear not, I shall not allow anything to hurt you or take you away." Nodding his head in understanding, Kale took a deep and calming breath, pushing away all his cares and Jupiter noticed with pride how he so easily brought himself back under control. It was not so easy for Erin, so she merely gripped onto Jupiter a little tighter and took deep breaths.

They passed several troopers who did not even look their way, Jupiter's cloak sweeping elegantly with a soft rustle with the two younglings tucked close in her protective embrace. She must get them to safety, all they had to do was make the jump to hyperspace then they would be free to return to Typhon where their training could continue. "We are coming up to the port now, remember, do not run, rush or give yourselves away. Always remain calm and you will be able to react to any situation that challenges you." Jupiter instructed as she pulled them both to the side, hiding both children behind a vending machine whilst standing in front of them to keep them covered.

Glancing around Jupiter ensured that no one was watching them before pulling out a detonator from within her robes. With a final check, Jupiter pressed the button with her thumb and not half a second later, a huge explosion of sound and fire erupted from the far side of the space port, one of the Empire ships with a weapons shipment was blasted to a thousand pieces. Immediately the alarm was raised and sirens blared, Erin's eyes widening as she saw the flames stretch high into the sky, even though they were on the opposite side of the port. "Now." Jupiter encouraged, stepping forwards so Kale quickly grasped Erin's hand and pulled her forwards, keeping their heads low as their hoods shielded their faces.

All security quickly responded to the attack, rushing to help put out the flames and attempt to locate the perpetrator, so with the entrance now clear Jupiter swept through with the children behind her, lifting a hand underneath her cloak and swept it aside to flick the toll gate open and allow them through. Erin glanced around her, looking towards the large fire that Jupiter had started as a distraction, allowing them to board the small transport shuttle that Jupiter had acquired for this expedition.

Roo was waiting for her at the top of the hatch, beeping and wriggling excitedly as Kale entered first, pulling Erin along with him as Jupiter checked that they had not been followed before she too entered. "Scan for interferences, Roo. We do not want to be tracked when we leave this planet." She ordered, heading straight for the cockpit where Kale was busy strapping in his little sister, making sure that she was comfortable and secure as Jupiter began to plot the course off surface. "Everyone hold on, this may get a little bumpy." Glancing across to the children to ensure that they were both strapped in, Jupiter then brought the ship off the ground and began to turn it around, rotating it slowly before shooting off into the sky.

Almost immediately they happened upon the blockade that was stopping any ship from leaving the atmosphere without a full check, however Jupiter had already planned for this. "How are we going to get past them without them boarding and sweeping through the ship? Should we hide somewhere?" Kale asked but Jupiter merely shook her head.

"No, they have not scanned us yet so we need to leave before they can lock onto the ship's signature. Be ready." Quickly swinging the ship around Jupiter headed away from the barricade, aiming for a small group of ships that were patrolling the upper atmosphere. A small smirk appearing on her lips, Jupiter grabbed a handle and pushed it upwards, activating the hyperdrive. There was a small gap which she aimed for, the course having been pre-emptively plotted so that they would not crash into any planets during the jump. "Here we go." With a singsong voice, Jupiter made the jump into hyperspace and immediately shot away between the ships, throwing them all off course but before they could even realise what had happened, Jupiter was gone.

The distraction had allowed her to escape without checking out of the port and without being escorted to the blockade, so now they were free. "Wasn't that dangerous, master?" Kale questioned a little uncertainly, glancing from Master Tan-Jinn to the shaken droid who was still a little rattled from the close jump they had just made.

"Yes, but I knew that we would be alright, I have done far worse in my time as a General." She answered, switching to auto pilot so that she could swing around in her chair and look at both the children. "We will be making several stops to ensure that no one can follow us before then going home, you are safe now."

"Thank you for coming for us, Master Tan-Jinn." Kale said quietly as he unstrapped himself and bowed respectfully to his senior. "We were beginning to think we would never survive."

"To give up hope is to admit defeat and welcome failure, you should never allow yourself to stop searching for an alternative destiny." Jupiter educated them both studiously, rising to her feet and taking off her cloak so that her features were fully revealed to the children. They stared at the former general, noticing how different she looked from when they had last seen her in the temple so many months ago. Everyone knew of Jupiter, she was the most approachable of Jedi Masters and Kale had often watched her train his sister along with several other younglings. She used to look so young and fresh faced, however now her features appeared more worn and drawn out. There were lines beginning to crease her brow, very faint but definitely there, though most of the lines were caused from her smile.

"Master…" Kale began however he stopped, looking away a little bashfully, earning an arched eyebrow of curiosity from Jupiter. Before he could summon his courage to speak again, however, a small voice to his left made him start in shock and look towards his little sister who spoke for the first time in months.

"Master, are there others like us out there?" She asked in a small voice. Kale's jaw dropped however Jupiter remained attentive, smoothly answering the youngling by approaching and crouching before her, placing both hands upon her shoulders.

"Yes youngling, there are others who also escaped the temple and like you, they are now fugitives. It is my duty to find them and bring them to safety, which is why I came for you. Do not worry any longer, little one, I am taking you both to a place where we may live in peace and grow stronger together until we are ready to enter back into the galaxy as we once were." Brushing a thumb against her cheek, Jupiter smiled before she rose to her feet. "Padawan Jacinto, I believe you wish to ask me something." Kale started, recovering from his shock and quickly cleared his throat.

"Yes master. It's just…" Summoning his courage, Kale bowed his head and the words burst from his chest, unable to be contained as his heart skipped frantically with anticipation. "Please take me as your padawan learner! I wish for you to complete my training, please accept me master." He begged and this time, it was Jupiter's turn to be surprised. The other Jedi had encouraged her to take a padawan to train, however her mission required great stealth and effectiveness as well as complete concentration. To take a padawan with her when searching the galaxy could prove problematic and too noticeable for the Sith.

"I have not taken a padawan in many, many years." Jupiter began slowly and Kale winced. Everyone knew the story of Jupiter's first apprentice, he had known Dhea himself, training with her as younglings. He had been there for her memorial service and mourned with many other younglings and padawans at her passing. Jupiter herself had been at the service and had stayed long after everyone else had left to meditate before Dhea's tomb. Kale remembered being one of the last to leave. He had stopped and looked back to Jupiter, who was a Jedi Knight at the time, and felt her intense sorrow and grief almost as his own. He had felt a great affinity with her then, understanding the pain and emotions as well as the difficulty in letting go. Dhea had been a friend to everyone, it was impossible not to like her.

"Yes master, I know, but I feel I will learn greatly from a master such as you. The Force is pushing me towards you, I can feel it strongly like a connection, please at least consider it. I promise that I will do all that I can to be a good apprentice." Kale pressed, lifting his face to finally meet Jupiter in the eye. Erin glanced between them, biting down on her lip as she nervously awaited the Jedi Master's decision. Inwardly, Jupiter was conflicted. She could sense the determination in the young padawan and the Force was indeed encouraging her to accept, however she remained reluctant.

"I shall consider it." She finalised, inclining her head to him and immediately he beamed broadly. "I shall meditate on which is the best path to take before I decide on my final answer. It would be wise for you to do the same, young ones. You have been out of balance with the Force for some time, you must reconnect to its guidance and remind yourselves exactly who you are." Drawing herself up to her full height, Jupiter looked down at the both of them, sensing their eagerness to do their utmost to become the very best that they could be. "The road we will travel is dangerous and is uncertain, however we must remain vigilant if we are all to survive. Becoming my apprentice will be no easy task, I may need to leave you for long periods of time and there is a possibility that I may not return. Can you accept this, Kale?"

"Yes master, I understand that you mission is important. I will not become a hindrance or obstacle in your path." He vowed and Jupiter softened, smiling to him affectionately as she reached out and rested her hand on his head, drawing him closer so that he may rest against her solid presence, drawing comfort from her resolute character.

"Then rest for now, young ones. For we are almost home."


	3. Chapter 3

Both Kale and Erin were amazed when they saw the new Jedi settlement that they were to live in away from the Empire. Already fresh crops were growing and they had cleaned up the buildings until they looked practically brand new, expanding into the trees above with solar panels absorbing sunlight to produce electricity for the entire station. "Welcome home." Jupiter said to them before urging them forwards, the other younglings already rushing over, calling out her name excitedly. Jupiter had found very few other Jedi out there, however she had recovered enough to remain hopeful. She had even found Master Quinlan Vos, whom she had asked to help Master Sinube take charge of the care of the younglings and organisation of training in her absence. "Hello younglings, it is good to see you all again." Jupiter greeted them all as they flooded to her, excitedly gathering around and chattering all at once as she chuckled.

Turning around Jupiter brought Erin and Kale forwards, introducing them before she allowed one of the other Jedi Knights to take them to their own rooms and settle them in as Roo brought in the supplies Jupiter had collected, though she knew full well that the children were waiting with avid anticipation for the gifts that she always brought back to them. For a long time Jupiter had loathed to see their grieving and depressed little faces, so on her journeys she began to make a habit of visiting places where she could bring back stories or gifts for them all to brighten their smiles and this time was no different. As Roo pushed out the container, Jupiter unlocked it with the code and instantly all the younglings were eagerly trying to look inside. Giving them a wink, Jupiter lifted her hand and Force guided the objects out into the open.

The younglings all awed in silence, watching as the toys began to fill the air and their eyes widened at the broad selection of them all. Jupiter believed that all children should have their own precious belongings, whether they were Jedi younglings or not, so she began to hand out the toys to them all, allowing them to each choose before she tucked the others away for the next generation, though she pulled out a soft bear and brought it to Emma, who gurgled happily upon seeing Jupiter again as she visited the nursery and gave her the gift. "Master Jupiter, glad to see you're still in one piece." Quinlan noted as he appeared at the doorway, giving a roguish smile and nod of his head as Jupiter tickled Emma's belly.

"Have I ever failed before?" She reasoned, giving Emma one last smile before pulling away. "I am happy to be back, it seems more than a lifetime since I last saw this sanctuary." Sighing contentedly, Jupiter gave a nod of her head and led the way to the council room to listen to all the reports that the Jedi Masters had to give. It was a long and tedious chore, however Jupiter dealt with all that needed to be dealt with, the masters having held off making any decisions until Jupiter could voice her own opinion and sometimes even improve them. Although the other Masters were just as experienced as her, they seemed to have naturally turned to Jupiter for strength and leadership which she took upon her shoulders willingly, wanting nothing more than to protect those that needed shelter.

After business had been settled, Jupiter settled into meditation, searching the stars for other Jedi who needed her help. Often she would meditate for days at a time with no joy and it would become greatly disheartening, unable to sense others out there and it would make their small sanctuary seem to only shrink in size around her. There had once been thousands of Jedi, now they were surviving by the skin of their teeth. Shaking her head, Jupiter dispelled all negative thoughts and instead focused on how she should answer Kale. He was a bright and extremely determined young padawan, she could sense his deep connection with the Force and she knew that his lightsaber skills were proficient. She had spoken to his former master on several occasions and they had often discussed the young boy's progress.

With so few Jedi Masters left, Jupiter knew that it was important that as many younglings and padawans were trained as possible. Even Quinlan had taken on a new padawan, though the other Jedi Masters had been reluctant to allow this due to his wild tendencies, however Jupiter had given the final say on the matter as she trusted Quinlan to uphold his Jedi training and teach well. If Quinlan was training his own padawan, there was no reason that Jupiter should not. The other council members had already stated that she should take on her own padawan.

Meditating for several days, Jupiter finally came to her decision. Rising to her feet Jupiter steadily walked to the training grounds that they had built underneath the canopy of the trees, protected and sheltered from all eyes that could possibly be watching them. There she found Kale watching over the training of his sister and two other younglings who were not yet old enough to advance to the rank of padawan. Kale did not sense or even hear Jupiter approach until she had placed her hand upon his shoulder, making him jump violently and immediately stand up to face her. "You must be more mindful of your surroundings, Kale." She told him softly with a slightly amused smile on her lips. "I believe it important to always keep one eye on the present and the other always looking ahead."

"Yes master." Kale answered, bowing respectfully however Jupiter lifted her hand, signalling that he should not be so tense.

"I have come to give you my answer." Squirming nervously, Kale watched the Jedi Master's eyes carefully however they betrayed nothing, remaining cool and collected even as she looked directly into his orbs and seemingly read through his entire soul, a wise and ancient look resolving in her expression until finally, the corner of her scarred lip tilted upwards. "You will be my apprentice, Kale Jacinto. I will complete your training to the best of my ability and I hope that this will in turn make you a great Jedi Knight, one day." Astonished by his good fortune, Kale stood there open mouthed for a few moments before he recovered, snapping his jaw shut and respectfully bowed his head.

"I am grateful that you accept me to be your padawan learner, Master Tan-Jinn." Affectionately Jupiter patted his shoulder before she then lifted his face, holding his chin gently so that their eyes could meet.

"We will begin after receiving approval from the council, however you must remember. I cannot continue your training if there are other responsibilities in the galaxy that I must attend to. When I am away, I expect you to take your own training into hand and practice as much as you can as well as learning from the records that were recovered from the temple."

"Understood master, I won't let you down." He promised, chest expanding with pride as he drew himself up to his full height. He could not believe that the legendary Master Jupiter Tan-Jinn had accepted him to be her apprentice, it was the dream of almost every youngling after the outbreak of the Clone Wars. "I'll become a powerful Jedi and restore balance to the galaxy."

"Such a task is too much for one to handle alone, Kale. Power does not come from individual strength, it comes from the resolve to do good and from the ability to let go. In order to gain, you must first release all that concern you." Jupiter instructed him wisely before inclining her head, signalling that he should follow her. Kale immediately fell into step, walking alongside his new master with a heavy beating heart, eager to begin training. He greatly anticipated learning all he could from such a distinguished master, he had heard from Masters Yoda and Windu that they believed Jupiter to be a Grand Master in the making, so unable to hide his smile, Kale followed his master without question.


	4. Chapter 4

Carefully Jupiter walked through the halls of Bail Organa's home on Alderaan, remaining silent and concealed as she headed towards the life force that she could sense very clearly, calling to her in a soft tone that pulled Jupiter ever closer. Entering through the door, Jupiter walked into a large and spacious room beautifully decorated with luscious drapes and hundreds of books, filling the shelves of the numerous bookcases whilst the light filtered in through the windows and painted the balcony in a golden glow.

A girl stood there, looking out to the scenery whilst standing on her toes, dressed in white with her hair neatly pulled back from her head with a silver band to crown her brow, serene and beautiful like a little angel. "Hello my starlight." Jupiter called gently and instantly the young child spun around, a gasp escaping her before all at once she rushed forwards.

"Aunt René!" The three year old child rushed into Jupiter's arms as the woman smiled and dropped to her knees, welcoming Leia into her embrace as the girl flung her arms around her neck, kicking off the ground and held onto her tightly whilst laughing. Jupiter pressed her eyes shut, feeling a calm fulfilment swell within her as she held Leia close against her. Already she looked so much like Padme that the memories often became too much to handle, however Jupiter pushed through them in order to see Leia with a smile on her face. As the young princess pressed herself against Jupiter with all of her tiny strength, Jupiter felt the locket that hung permanently around her neck dig into her skin but she did not mind it, for she felt elated to see Leia once more. "You were gone such a long time auntie, you promised you'd come back sooner!"

Leia spoke with a winsome voice and a slight lisp, making Jupiter chuckle as she pulled back to look down at the princess, stroking her hair as Leia sat upon her lap, pouting slightly. "I said that I would come back on your birthday, did I not? And here I am, happy birthday my starlight." It was still early in the morning, the dawn having only just awoken but Leia had sensed that her favourite auntie would be coming today. She could feel it so strongly that she had woken up early and gone to her balcony to watch for arriving ships. Leia grinned.

"I'm three now! I'm a big girl." She insisted, making Jupiter's smile broaden as she continued to stroke Leia's hair.

"Not quite, you still have a few more years to go my love." Lifting her hand, Jupiter measured a height and gave her niece a wink. "Not until you are at least this tall, I should think." Leia giggled, once more wrapping her arms around Jupiter and nuzzled noses with her. Jupiter's visits were extremely rare, however whenever she did come Leia always felt happy and contented, as if a certain part of her became fulfilled with her aunt nearby. All her other aunties always told her not to do thinks and tried to groom her, however Auntie René never told her to do anything and would tell all kinds of stories of her adventures.

"I want to go flying auntie, will you take me flying into space one day? Can we go find the stars and pick them?" Leia began to babble and Jupiter listened as she stood up, easily carrying Leia on her hip as she went over to the lounger and sat down among the plush cushions, wrapping a blanket around the both of them so that Leia could tell her all about her lessons and what she had been doing since Jupiter had last come to visit before eventually requesting a story.

More than happy to oblige, Jupiter told Leia all about the planet of the Fair, describing the scenery and the animals that she had encountered as well as describing the culture and customs, not allowing any detail to be missed as Leia listened with awed filled orbs, her small fingers instinctively going towards the pendant around the older woman's neck and playing with it absently, somehow drawn to it despite not knowing its contents. Jupiter stayed with Leia for the entire day, staying in the background and keeping hidden from view as Leia received gifts from well wishers and appeared before her people in a celebratory parade with only Bail Organa knowing of her presence there.

As Leia waved from a tall balcony overlooking her people as they cheered, petals floating down from above, Jupiter walked like a ghost in the background, watching over Leia with a glow of pride. Organa turned his head and caught the Jedi's eye, slightly inclining his head in greeting which Jupiter returned, drawing something from within her robes and lifted it slightly, showing it to Organa before leaving it upon the windowsill, a small box wrapped in a ribbon with a letter addressed to Leia tucked on top. Knowing that it was time to leave, Jupiter disappeared seemingly into thin air, leaving the palace in silence.

Once she was gone, Organa went and claimed the small gift and presented it to Leia as he was tucking her up in bed, reading the letter to her before he then watched Leia open the gift to reveal an ornate music box which released a soft humming vibration as it sang every time you lifted the lid, the little figure dancing with spirals of water around her made from sheer sheets of crystal. The beautiful melody was lulling and comforting to listen to, making the little princess smile, immediately deciding that it was the best gift of all as it had come from her favourite auntie, her letter promising to return every year on her birthday without fail and sending all her love to her precious starlight. Leia slept that night with the music box playing, smiling in her sleep as across the galaxy, Roo flew a small shuttle across a desert planet, Jupiter having given him a very important mission. As he approached the moisture farm, Roo opened the cargo bay doors and dropped the single container whereby it then opened up its parachute and floated down to the surface.

Owen Lars was waiting for it, knowing that it would come as it did every year on the same day for the past three years without fail. The container dropped down in front of him, the shuttle shooting off back into the atmosphere as he opened it up. Inside lay a supply of food, tradable goods, better tools which he had desperately needed this past month but been unable to purchase and of course, a gift for Luke. It lay on the top, prominent and most definitely from Luke's only other relative that he knew of. His aunt.

It was a toy racer with a controller, one that Owen had no doubt Luke would enjoy playing with first thing in the morning. Sealing the shipment back up, he pushed the container towards the house where Luke could be heard laughing, toddling around happily on his special day which had earned him a full day of no chores and as much fun as his guardians could afford. He also knew what was coming, he knew that every year on his birthday, a special gift would come from someone he did not know.

As Owen pushed the container inside, he was watched by someone in the far distance. A bearded face smiled, observing the shipment that had arrived and knew full well whom it was from. Obi-Wan exhaled softly, lifting his hand to grip the pendant around his neck without even meaning to. He missed Jupiter greatly, his isolation had been more difficult than he had first imagined and it took every degree of strength to simply call out to her and beg for her to come and rescue him like she used to in the past. In the lonely dunes of the desert, the greying Jedi Master turned away from his watch, returning home where an empty hut awaited him with only the memory of a life and love now gone to warm him.


	5. Chapter 5

Fifteen years passed far too quickly for Jupiter's liking. She did not know where the time seemed to disappear, however before she knew it, a decade and a half had come and gone since the establishment of the Galactic Empire. She had not found another Jedi Master or padawan in many years, however she had managed to recover several Force-sensitive children from the clutches of the Empire before the Sith could claim them. The Council would often be in meditation, searching for the children of the Force and Jupiter would either go personally to rescue them or send someone she trusted greatly to go in her place.

Her apprentice Kale Jacinto had ascended to the rank of Jedi Knight three years after becoming Jupiter's apprentice, allowing her to then take another. She had trained a total of three padawans during those years and for the moment, had none to train as there were no more younglings ready to become a padawan. Emma had not become one of her apprentices, instead training under Kale who took her training very seriously. Jupiter maintained a close relationship with Emma, who grew into a resilient and bold padawan determined to change the galaxy for the better. At one point Emma had tried to escape the planet to challenge the emperor herself however Jupiter had had to go and rescue her after she almost crashed her shuttle into a moon.

"Master Jupiter!" Emma's voice called out and Jupiter turned, looking back to Emma who ran towards her with a breathless smile. "Do you have the time to train with me today? I want to practice form three as Master Kale says that he is going to test me on it tomorrow, will you please help me?"

"Of course Padawan, it would be my pleasure." Jupiter inclined her head graciously, her hair neatly pulled back from her head in the same style, except now her long hair was tucked up into a gentle bun at the nape of her neck, a streak of silvery grey running through the raven locks at her parting on both sides from where she was beginning to show her age. At forty three, Jupiter felt much more ancient than she should have done. Chasing across the galaxy to provide relief and assistance in secret wears down the bones, however Jupiter was just as sharp in the mind as she was during the Clone Wars.

Accepting Emma's request for tutelage, Jupiter followed her to the nearest training room at the partially restored temple where the younglings and padawans were trained, remaining surreal and composed as Emma swiftly drew her lightsaber, the blue blade flashing brightly. "Ready." The young woman declared before immediately darting forwards to initiate the attack. Immediately Jupiter flicked out her wrists, causing her billowing sleeves to ruffle and flare, allowing her to slip her hands unto the fabric and withdraw both her lightsabers from where they remained attached to her forearms, igniting them and easily holding off the attack with a flash of orange and purple.

"You are too hasty, padawan." Jupiter cautioned wisely, the smile lines deepening as her lips curved upwards. "Patience is the key to victory." Pushing Emma backwards, Jupiter inclined her head and allowed the training to continue. She gave advice where she felt it was necessary, however Emma's blade work was almost flawless. Though of course Emma's training was traditional, she found it hard to defend against the unique style that Jupiter had fashioned for her own purposes.

"Why have you never taught another apprentice your own battle style, Master?" Emma questioned afterwards as they walked side by side, observing the beautiful fauna around them as they made their way back to their home.

"Because it will not suit everyone the way it suits me, Emma." Jupiter answered smoothly, keeping her eyes fixed ahead as she walked. "I was raised a very specific way from infancy, strength and aggressiveness became second nature to me as well as fighting in arenas just to survive. I adapted to the situation and developed my own technique which I then applied to lightsaber training. My body is used to it, yours, however, will take years to adjust to such a rigorous technique." She explained simply, giving Emma a smile. "Do not be concerned for it, Emma, the Jedi way is very clear, however our own uniqueness comes from how we apply its teachings to our efforts. You will find your own rhythm in your own time." Emma thought carefully on the wise words of the recently appointed Grand Master, nodding her head before bowing in gratitude.

Jupiter inclined her head also before turning away, going to see to the tasks that she needed to accomplish. Just as Jupiter was about to enter the control room, she suddenly felt a powerful disturbance in the Force. At first it was dark and chilling, causing her to shiver and she immediately recognised its origin. Darth Vader, one who has been hunting her down for the past fifteen years. In the Empire, Jupiter was one of the most wanted branded criminals with a great reward for being captured either alive or dead, along with Obi-Wan Kenobi and several other missing Jedi.

The Sith apprentice who had helped bring about the destruction of the Jedi Order, also a former Jedi himself. For a long time Jupiter had known whom Vader was, who he _truly_ was, however to sense him so clearly now meant that there was a shift in the balance of the Force, causing her to stop and reach out with her own senses. After the initial shock had passed, Jupiter closed her eyes, allowing the Force to be her guide until finally, she felt it. A light, small and shrouded but a light all the same, growing brighter with each passing day before finally it joined with another. The vision was unlike anything Jupiter had ever experienced before, however as she began to make sense of it, she realised exactly what it was trying to tell her. There were others out there. Waiting, biding their time. They were not alone after all. "Interesting." She hummed in thought before finally opening her eyes, chuckling to herself as she continued walking. "Ezra Bridger. It appears you have been found."

Knowing that the vision came to her for a reason, Jupiter began to make arrangements to leave. "Roo, I need a ship to leave immediately, please make your way to the main hanger and meet me there." She requested before sending a message to Master Quin of her objective, leaving him along with Master Sinube in charge in her absence. Roo beeped at her chirpily upon seeing her, having awakening from charging and quickly scooted forwards, intending to lead her over to the ship he had selected but accidentally bumped into her legs instead, making Jupiter laugh. "Roo my old friend, one day you shall knock me over because my legs have become frail with age." She warned him, affectionately rubbing his domed head before gesturing that they were to leave. "Set a course to Lothal. I believe I am to meet an old acquaintance of mine there." Confused at the ambiguousness of his master's tone, Roo set the course in the ship's chart, the single seated starfighter immediately whirring to life.

Roo had found it no less than five years ago in a scrap pile. It was not Jupiter's own starfighter, however it was one of the same models. He had been on a recon mission trying to uncover information of the Empire's presence on a planet where they were harvesting kyber crystals were he had found it tossed aside on a scrap heap. After fixing it up a little, he was then able to transport it back to Jupiter who assisted with the repairs before modifying it so that it was unable to be tracked or traced in its history.

Rising off the ground, Jupiter left the settlement and entered the upper atmosphere, manually piloting the aircraft as Roo continued to plot the jump to hyperspace. He made a few bleeping and whirring noises at her, making Jupiter glance across to him. "I am certain that we will not face danger, Roo and I most certainly will not allow anything to eat you." It was a constant worry of her droid, several times he had almost been eaten by something and Jupiter had more than once had to drag him out of a monster's stomach covered in slime and foul smelling gunk. "Lothal is quite a peaceful planet, except for being under Empire occupation. We must tread carefully. We'll land away from the settlement and take our time mapping out the area. I do not want to enter a conflict unless absolutely necessary. After all, the Empire still has no confirmation that I actually exist." Beeping his understanding, Roo informed Jupiter that the course was plotted so she entered hyperspace after attaching to the ring which lay adrift in the outer atmosphere.

The journey was not as long as Jupiter had first expected, making good time and when they exited hyperspace, they came upon a planet that looked as if it had been ravaged by time and scarred by the occupation. "The Empire has no taste for culture." Jupiter muttered under her breath as she brought the starfighter down towards the surface. Jupiter kept away from the capital city as she registered a large amount of Empire activity and wished to remain discreet, so she hid her starfighter a few clicks away where the dome mountains could keep it undercover until she returned. "Stay with the ship Roo, keep open your communicator in case I need you quickly." She instructed as the hatch slid open and she climbed out, elegantly dropping down to the ground where she immediately pulled up her hood and started to walk forwards.

There was a light breeze which carried a fresh scent, however as Jupiter walked she noticed how there had once been a forest here but it had been cut down. The planet had been transformed into a mining planet from one that focused on farming. She remembered back in the Clone Wars that the people here had petitioned the Senate for relief aid because of a drought and plague that had killed off their livestock and crops however they had been refused. Jupiter could recall how irritated she had been, even going as far as to request that the council consider giving aid themselves, however they had refused.

Shaking her head, Jupiter continued forwards, aiming for the capital city however after walking a mile, she sensed that something was watching her. A predatory gaze fixated itself upon her so she stopped, casting out her senses before she located the suspect. A Lothal sabrecat, dangerous and extremely territorial. Its sleek body stalked out from its hiding place, growling as the golden fur rippled under the sunlight. It gave a roar, baring all of its fangs however Jupiter made a soothing motion with her hand, focusing the Force on the creature and instantly it quietened into a purr, relaxing the tense muscles and allowed Jupiter to approach.

"Easy now, I am not going to hurt you. There we are, good girl." She praised, stroking its bristly fur before she climbed onto its back, settling herself into the slope behind the broad shoulders before she directed it towards the city. "Thank you my friend." She whispered, the sabrecat mewling softly before it sprang forwards, covering the grasslands in huge leaps and bounds, claws digging into the soil and tearing it up as Jupiter expertly held on with her knees, remaining balanced until finally they reached their destination.

The sabrecat stopped a small distance away from the city, allowing Jupiter to dismount where she stroked its purring face, brushing her fingers against the sensitive whiskers as the deep golden eyes gazed at her. "I shall be back soon, listen for me." She murmured before turning to face the city. It was heavily guarded, however the gates remained open, allowing those to enter with their identification. Knowing full well that she could not be spotted, Jupiter watched and waited until an Imperial transport approached the gate.

Moving quickly Jupiter crossed the short distance from the rocks to the road, hiding in the tall grass before she climbed onto the transport, concealing herself away within the containers at the back and pulled down the cover to keep herself hidden as the Imperials allowed the shipment through directly. Immediately Jupiter felt herself become drawn towards the contents of the shipments, making her frown deeply before she pressed a hand against one of the containers. Immediately she felt a familiar warmth flow back through her and her eyes opened, understanding filling he mind.

They were transferring kyber crystals and various other previous mineral ores that they had mined from deep within the surface of the planet. These crystals were sacred to her order and Jupiter felt a flash of deep irritation to think that they were being harvested for greed when there were several padawans without lightsabers simply because it was too dangerous to take them to a Jedi Temple where crystals could be obtained. Pushing the though aside, Jupiter returned her focus to the reason why she had come to this planet at all. To find the Force-sensitive child she had sensed during a vision.

Holding her breath, Jupiter prepared to react should she be discovered however they entered the city without hindrance, so she waited a few moments before sliding out, stepping off onto the street and continued walking as if she had been there from the very beginning. Patrols walked the streets in pairs or small groups, sometimes harassing stall owners or members of the public and Jupiter had to bite down on her tongue in order to keep from interfering. She disliked it when she witnessed others using their position of power to abuse others, but to remain out of sight was her objective until she could locate this new Force wielder that she had seen in a vision. It had most definitely guided her to this planet, however Jupiter had no further information than this, so instead she sought them out by sensing them through the Force.

Receiving a directive, Jupiter turned and headed deeper into the city, remaining on the main streets and keeping her head slightly bowed, concealing herself away. She could sense there was a disturbance in the Force and it grew stronger with every passing step until finally, she came across a disturbance in real life. Several voices cried out in alarm as something exploded nearby however Jupiter did not react, watching calmly as a Mandalorian female raced away from the scene of the incident, a Lasat male hiding in the shadows before jumping out to provide cover, firing blaster bolts at the patrols before also racing away.

The shipment of kyber crystals and minerals were being stolen from the Imperials as Jupiter stood there, watching. The explosion destroyed the transport, leaving it immobilised on the ground and most of the troopers guarding it either concussed or unconscious, allowing a grown man to attach the shipment to a speeder bike before he quickly disappeared with it, his companions providing the cover. Immediately Jupiter recognised the man, sensing the Force surrounding him and it brought great relief and peace to her heart to see a face that she had not seen in many years.

Sensing the commotion beginning to escalate, Jupiter quickly disappeared, diving down a minor street before appearing the other side, keeping a track of the group of vigilantes as they valiantly attempted to escape with the valuables, however it appeared that the Empire had been ready for them this time. The speeder was shot down in an evacuated part of the city as Jupiter followed, taking the shortcuts that the Force guided her to use and she saw the man being thrown off his bike, his companions also being forced to bunch in the centre around the cargo as they were surrounded by more patrols and two AT-STs, a two legged walker that had been greatly advanced since Jupiter had seen them in the wars.

"I think we may have underestimated them this time." The younger teenaged boy announced and Jupiter immediately recognised him also. Ezra Bridger, it was he whom she had sensed through the Force. "Is it just me or do they seem a little more organised than usual?"

"If you got any contingency plans, now is the time to tell us!" The Mandalorian announced tersely, continuing to fire her blasters as the four of them remained tightly packed together, the net closing in around them. "Kanan!"

"Just hang on, we'll be okay." The matured man informed them all, blocking with his lightsaber and Jupiter observed for a moment, assessing his skills. Without a doubt it was him, she recognised Depa Billaba's training immediately, especially considering form three was being favoured extensively. "Spectre Two, we need an emergency pickup, right now!" He yelled into his communicator, however all that responded was static and silence. "They've jammed the signal!"

"What do we do?!" Deciding to intervene, Jupiter remained hidden in the shadows, hood pulled low over her face however she lifted both hands, throwing out all senses to concentrate on her surroundings. Instantly all blaster firing ceased from the enemy as they were lifted off the ground, including the walkers and transport cannons. "What? What's going on? Kanan, is this you?" The Lasat demanded however Kanan stood in complete shock, staring around him.

"No, this isn't me. Ezra?"

"I couldn't do that, so it isn't me." His apprentice answered, mouth dropping open as all at once, the mass collision ensued. Everything metal was crushed and the machines dropped to the ground in total disrepair as all the troopers were flung aside, the Force acting upon them to knock them unconscious, leaving a window for the Ghost crew to escape, however before they could even recover, Kanan quickly realised that this was their only chance to escape without being caught.

"Everyone move! Let's go!" He ordered, turning and heading directly for an alleyway, however as he bolted forwards and pulled Ezra along with him, he found himself slamming into something solid, making him grunt and fall backwards however before he could hit the ground, the Force caught him and the person whom he had slammed into stood without even batting an eyelid, a soft chuckle penetrating his mind.

"Caleb Dume. I see some habits never die." Immediately his eyes widened in pure shock, the voice awakening numerous memories in the back of his mind as he was slowly placed back on his feet, facing a tall woman with hooded features which obscured her face from his view. Before Kanan could even speak, Jupiter motioned that they should all follow her. "Come with me, we shall find somewhere safe to dwell until we can escape the city." The Ghost crew blinked, uncertain of what to do so they looked to Kanan, however his mouth was dropped wide open, still paralysed from the sudden arrival of an old master.

"Kanan? Kanan what do we do? Kanan snap out of it!" Ezra shook him, forcing him awake so Kanan blinked, recovering his senses before he nodded his head.

"Follow her." With Zeb pulling the shipment, the crew followed Jupiter who took them to a quiet part of the city and directed them to conceal themselves away in an old imperial hanger near the city gates, allowing them all inside first before she sealed the door behind her. Pulling off her helmet, Sabine frowned, looking around her at the dusty equipment that was being stored away within and long since forgotten.

"Why here? Won't they find us here in a heartbeat?"

"Not necessarily." Jupiter answered in her musical voice, one that Kanan remembered very clearly and had not changed in over fifteen years. It was a soft and warm as he recalled. "On the contrary, it will be the last place they think to look. The Force works in mysterious ways, however it guided me to bring you here, so here we are." She answered, looking at the strange mixture of rebels before her, hands laced together as she slowly observed them one by one.

"You know about the Force?" Ezra questioned, immediately intrigued. He noted how Kanan was simply staring at the strange woman who had not yet revealed their face to them. "Are you a Falkrum? Do you work with the rebels in another unit?" He asked but Jupiter shook her head, giving a soft chuckle as she stepped forwards and placed her finger and thumb against Ezra's chin, lifting his face so that she could look deeply into his eyes.

"No Ezra Bridger, I am nothing like that. It is good to finally meet you, I sensed you from far across the galaxy and came straight here to find you." She revealed, patting his shoulder gently before finally turning to Kanan. Their eyes met through her hood and slowly, Jupiter pulled it back, earning a wide eyed stare from the padawan Jupiter had known as a boy. "Caleb, I have been searching for _you_ for a very long time. I have finally caught up to you." She murmured, reaching up and pressing a hand to his face, slightly overwhelmed by how tall he had become. "You have grown."

"Master Jupiter…I thought…I never realised…I didn't…" Kanan stuttered, unsure of what to say. Jupiter looked almost exactly the same as she did when he had last seen her, except that her face was more matured due to smile lines and her hair was streaked with silvery grey, yet she retained her handsome visage and the warm twinkle of her eyes brought the same sense of comfort and reassurance that Kanan had felt each time he had accidentally run into her. "I thought there was no one else."

"Do you really have such little faith in me, Caleb Dume? I should be insulted." She teased gently, giving his cheek a gentle tap before she pulled her hand back. "I truly am overjoyed to see you safe and so grown up, I presume you have taken Ezra as your own apprentice, yes?" Unable to speak, Kanan nodded his head.

"Would someone tell me what's going on? Who is this? Where'd she come from? How'd she do what she did just now?" Zeb demanded to know, growling suspiciously as he glared at the stranger. He did not like it when people he did not know well interrupted with a mission, however this one had to be the strangest of them all. When she turned her eyes to fixate them on him, Zeb felt a chill go down his spine as Sabine arched an eyebrow.

"Maybe you should be a little politer, Zeb. She did just save our butts after all." She reasoned as Ezra rubbed his head, trying to make sense of everything before finally waving his hands.

"Okay, for once I agree with Zeb. Can someone _please_ explain what just happened and who this is?" Making a large gesture with his hands at Jupiter, Kanan gave a broad smile before pulling his apprentice close to him, slinging an arm around his shoulders before introducing the two of them formally.

"Ezra, you know all those stories about the Clone Wars I told you and about some of the Jedi Masters that I knew of?" He questioned and Ezra frowned, still puzzled but nodded his head. "And you remember the one Jedi Master that I mentioned how I used to run into her quite frequently and that she was one of the greatest military tactician that had ever been seen? Well, this is her. Master Jupiter." Immediately Ezra's eyes widened, staring at the aging woman in awe.

"No way! _You're_ Jupiter? Jedi Master of the one hundredth and twelfth legion?" Ezra echoed and Jupiter dipped her head in greeting.

"It is my pleasure to make your acquaintances. Ezra, Sabine, Zeb." They all stared at her openly, unbelieving and in shock to see a real Jedi Master still alive after all this time. Let alone so famous and renowned. "I am Grand Master Jupiter Tan-Jinn, though my alias is René. So please, do not address me by my real name in public, it would be quite problematic were the Empire to discover that I were still alive." Kanan's eyebrow arched slightly.

"Grand Master? Of course, I should have realised that you would be the one to take up the title, there were no other Jedi like you, after all." Jupiter chuckled warmly, the two of them gazing at one another nostalgically. "I am sorry that I was not there to help, and I am sorry that I did not try to reconnect with others that may have survived…I was so completely focused on living just for another day that…"

"I understand, Caleb. Believe me, I understand more than you know." Jupiter hushed him softly, her voice vibrating with warmth and compassion. "You are safe and alive, that is all that matters. I see you have also taken on an apprentice, a challenging role is that of a master, yet I feel that you two are tightly connected to one another. The bond that you share is strong, I can sense it with ease."

"Kanan is doing a great job teaching me, I've already got my own lightsaber, see?" Ezra eagerly held out his weapon towards the Grand Master, wanting to earn her approval and he watched her take it with bated breath, the lightsaber combined with a blaster which Jupiter scrutinised with interest.

"Remarkable." She mused, turning it over with the Force to inspect it closely. "I have never seen a lightsaber crafted in such a way, quite genius." Giving a twinkling wink, Ezra relaxed as she returned the weapon to him and touched his head looking deeply into his eyes. "You are an interesting specimen, young one. I sense great determination and a profound dutifulness within you, yet you carry a heavy burden also." As Jupiter leaned down so that she was the same height as Ezra, she gave a sad smile which Ezra noted was full of memory and a reflection of her past, swimming in emotions so vast that he could not even begin to comprehend their depths. "Anger and grief are emotions that will only hinder you on your path, Ezra Bridger. True strength lies in the ability to let go of everything that you hold dear, as once you are able to release yourself from your fears, you will be able to shatter mountains with a newfound strength."

"Kanan said something like that once. I didn't really understand it." Ezra admitted, earning an amused smile from Jupiter before she drew back, inclining her head towards the exit.

"You should move on, it will be safe for now. I shall create another distraction which will allow you to escape with the valuables." Jupiter started, however she paused, looking across to where she could sense the kyber crystals still. "What do you intend to do with them?"

"Sell them." Zeb answered bluntly but honestly, stalking forwards as he pushed the containers. "They fetch a good price and we need supplies." Jupiter's eyes flickered, feeling conflicted about allowing the crystals to simply be sold off. There were padawans greatly in need of crystals as they were still training with basic blaster deflectors, it was not allowing them to progress correctly.

"Wait a moment, Master Jupiter, aren't you coming with us?"

"No, Caleb. My path lies elsewhere whilst you have already started upon your own." Jupiter answered him, giving him a reassuring nod of her head. "But I am confident that we shall meet again. If ever you are in need of me, I shall come to your aid. The Force will be our link, even across great distances."

"Can you really do that?" Ezra asked excitedly and Jupiter nodded her head again, beginning to explain how the Force bound them all together and those that were deeply in tune were able to harness its powers in different ways. "That's awesome!"

"Focus Ezra, we need to get out of here." Sabine reminded him as she and Zeb prepared to leave, contacting Hera for a pickup. Slightly reluctant to leave, Kanan looked back to Jupiter who stood there with a slightly distant expression, still looking at the kyber crystals. Ezra noted it to, however another question weighed on his mind. If Master Jupiter had survived, then how many others were out there also? Were they truly not alone? Of course there was always Ahsoka, but she had left the Jedi Order before the purge, so did not realistically count as a true Jedi.

"Master Jupiter, how many others are there?" Ezra asked, awakening Jupiter from her reverie and her intelligent eyes flickered across to him, pinning him down on the spot as her expression remained unchanged.

"I do not know, Ezra. However, I do know that they are out there and some have been saved. I have been working for the past fifteen years gathering lost souls and tracking down those that managed to escape Order Sixty Six. We are growing stronger with each passing day that we train and learn of the Jedi way, so ensure that you learn well, Ezra Bridger. One day your very life may depend on all that you have learned." She guided him, glancing once more to the crystals before smiling. "Go, I shall ensure that you are not followed. I am glad that we could meet so that I know that you are both safe, I have worried about you for a long time, Caleb Dume."

"Likewise, master." Kanan said before bowing his head deeply, showing his respect for Jupiter which she returned, Erza also joining the offering before they all stood up. "Meet us at these coordinates when you can, we'll say our goodbyes properly there and I know that our pilot Hera would kill me if I didn't bring you to see her."

"You have my word, I shall be there." Inclining her head, Jupiter swept away with an agile grace, leaving all in a silent awe as the static trembling of power which rolled away from her causing several spines to shiver.


	6. Chapter 6

Jupiter approached the rendezvous point calmly, silent as can be whilst the breeze softly rustled around her. Ahead she could see the ship where Kanan and Erza awaited her alongside their crew, her gentle smile never once fading as she lifted a hand and waved it, opening the hatch to enter, however the moment her presence was sensed by Kanan, he was up like a shot and moving directly towards her. "Master Jupiter, thanks for the assist back there. Those blasts were quite impressive, I see your tactical skills are still what they used to be." He said to her with a warm humour to his tone which earned a chuckle in response.

"I am not so aged as of yet, Caleb, I am only just in my forties you know." Giving him a stern look which shone with mirth, the two smiled at one another before finally Jupiter looked to the crew behind him, eagerly awaiting their turn to meet and greet her properly, however the droid wasted no time in quickly rolling forwards, beeping and whirring whilst its head spun madly.

"Calm down Chopper, we're trying to make a good impression here!" Erza hissed as Zeb rolled his eyes, bulky arms folded.

"Cranky rust bucket." This muttered remark earned a terse response from Chopper, making Jupiter arch an eyebrow at the various uncouth words used as the flat topped droid waved its pincer like arms at Zeb, threatening to pull his arms and feet off. Seeing that the droid was working itself up into a temper, Jupiter slowly knelt down until she was eye level with the droid, inspecting it carefully.

"You have quite the spark, little one. You remind me of a few of my droid friends I knew back in the clone wars." She murmured, instantly grasping Chopper's attention, who whirled back around to face the renowned war hero. "They were brave and quite unique, with sentiments that only they could understand and convey through a communication that very few people could comprehend. I suspect you give your crew mates quite the trouble, but I would not worry. I can sense they appreciate you in their own ways." Giving a quick wink and patting the droid's head, who was now in a dazed whir, Jupiter rose back to her full height, looking behind Kanan to where a fair faced Twi'lek woman was standing, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Jedi Master Jupiter, it is an honour to meet you. I've heard all about you from Kanan, he only tells me the greatest of things about you." She spoke, stepping forwards and extending her hand for a firm handshake which Jupiter accepted readily. "I'm Hera, welcome aboard the Ghost, please make yourself right at home."

"I am sure Kanan is vastly exaggerating, but I appreciate the warm welcome. It has been a long time since I have gathered with friends, old and new." Jupiter admitted, allowing Hera to direct her to a seat, however Ezra was instantly grabbing the seat closest to her, youthful excitement rushing through his veins as he eagerly leaned forwards.

"Kanan has told me all about your battles and your strategies as a general in the clone wars, you're one of the best to hear about! You took every kind of risk imaginable, is it true that you had the lowest death rate of all the legions of the army? Which was your greatest victory in your opinion? Is it true that you never took a padawan during your time as a Jedi Knight or Master? What happened the day the Republic ended, where did you go?" Ezra had a thousand questions that he wanted to know the answers to, however Kanan smartly clamped a hand down over his young apprentice's mouth to quieten him down for a moment whilst Zeb snorted in amusement, Sabine rolling her eyes.

"Cut her some slack Ezra, geez. You're so insensitive." She said to him pointedly as Hera nodded her head in agreement.

"Sabine's right Ezra, you need to calm down. Master Jupiter is a guest here, so don't go attacking her with too many questions to ever possibly answer." Amused by the young boy's energy, Jupiter waved her hand and assured them all that it was alright and that she did not mind.

"Forgive me master, I should have taught him a little more _restraint_." Kanan gave his padawan a look, so Ezra reluctantly quietened down, though he pouted at having to refrain from asking all the questions that were rocketing through his mind.

"To teach is not as easy as one might presume." Jupiter mused, sitting upright as she carefully observed all around her. "However, I might suggest that we move locations. To stay here would prove greatly problematic as there are troops scouring the area, they are closing in on our position even as we speak."

"What?! Chopper, you were supposed to be scanning the area!" Hera yelped and quickly darted to her feet to rush to the cockpit, everyone else also leaping up however Jupiter remained sitting, calm and collected as everyone hurriedly rushed to secure the cargo and prepare for take off, however among the flurry, Ezra inched closer to Jupiter.

"How do you know where they are? Is that some kind of Jedi master trick?" He asked, turning Jupiter's attention towards him.

"No master trick, young one. I simply look beyond what my eyes can see and allow myself to feel what is out there. The sensitivity of the Force will allow you to see as much as the universe has to offer, you need only tap into its potential." Ezra frowned, Jupiter's answer only leaving him with more questions than he began with however Jupiter merely smiled and assured him that one day, he would understand. As the ship left Lothal, Jupiter's mind turned towards the shipment that the Ghost Crew had commandeered. Such precious cargo was sacred to the Jedi and she could not help but feel uncertain of it being lost when they had so little as it was already.

"You look troubled, master." Kanan noted as he returned to her side, sitting opposite her as Ezra had continued to sneakily ask as many questions as he could before his master returned.

"The crystals, to whom do you intend to sell them to?" Jupiter questioned slowly, eyes flickering as they filled with thoughts. Kanan found it strange to be in the company of someone from a past he thought had been long since destroyed. Of all the Jedi Masters, he remembered Jupiter the most for some unknown reason. Their meetings were brief, few and far between, however she had always stuck in the forefront of his mind. Perhaps it was the will of the Force secretly guiding him towards her.

"We have a buyer who is interested called Cikato Vizago, a rather untasteful character who operates on Lothal, however we have to wait a full rotation until he's ready to pick up the merchandise." Kanan spoke so carelessly that Jupiter's brow creased in concern. Had Kanan forgotten the value of these crystals? Time alone had done much to weary this padawan's mind and it saddened Jupiter to find him so lost, despite the fact that he had come so far since that nightmarish day. "Master?" Seeing her despairing expression, Kanan became increasingly concerned.

"You are so lost, young padawan. I am sorry to have abandoned you for so long." Her gentle voice murmured as their eyes met and for a brief moment, Kanan found himself drifting back in time. The smile lines and slight wrinkles of Jupiter's skin smoothed away, her hair losing the silvery streaks and their surroundings shifting to that of the temple courtyard where his friends laughed and played whilst he looked up at a wide world around him. Those were happy days back then, simple times, but they were now lost to an oblivion of pain that no one dared enter again.

"Kanan!" Hera's sudden shout startled Kanan from his reverie, hearing the warning siren blaring as their sensors picked up three TIE fighters following after them at speed. "I need you on the guns!"

"Got it!" He answered back quickly, glancing one last time to Jupiter, whose eyes remained swimming in reflection before hurrying away. Ezra had not missed a single detail of their interaction, glancing between the two before he reached out and timidly patted Jupiter's shoulder.

"Master, is everything okay?" He questioned, bringing Jupiter forward back to the present, where she blinked before nodding her head.

"Yes, everything is perfectly fine." She assured him before rising to her feet. "However it appears that we have now entered a spot of trouble, may I be of assistance?"

"Um…I think we've all got it covered." Ezra grinned up at her, yet no sooner were the words out of his mouth, the entire ship lurched violently from being struck, sending Ezra flying back into a seat, spinning out of control as Jupiter remained perfectly resolute, not even batting an eyelid. Now _this_ certainly brought back memories. "On second thought, I think I'll just see what's going on. Chopper!" Yelling as he ran, Jupiter tittered her tongue before walking forwards to join Hera in the cockpit, glancing around to familiarise herself with the surroundings before taking a seat, observing Hera's masterful piloting skills.

"Sorry about this master Jupiter, we weren't expecting more guests!" Hera grunted as she quickly spun the ship around, banking hard to avoid a volley of fire. "Kanan, are you even _trying_ to hit those fighters? We need an opening if we're to get out of this mess!"

"I'm working on it." Kanan answered distractedly, shooting down one of the fighters, however more followed suit as Hera swerved in all directions, taking them further and further out into space. Her eyes flit across the open void and took in her scans within a heartbeat, quickly asserting who was coming at her before swiftly reacting with an instinctive action.

"You are quite the flyer Hera, I am deeply impressed." Jupiter mused calmly, neither alarmed nor concerned at their predicament. "Might I suggest something?"

"If you have any of those crazy insane plans still tucked away somewhere, I'm all ears." Hera responded through gritted teeth, fingers blurring over the keypad to try and calculate a route, however with the randomised course that they were being forced to take, plotting a safe jump was near impossible. The ship shuddered as it took another hit, this time setting off an alarm which had Chopper wailing madly as he tried to fix it. "Chopper, get that compressor under control!"

Leaning forwards, Jupiter quietly plotted a course, giving Hera's arm a soft tap before beginning to enter specific coordinates, eyes flashing intelligently. "Stay this curve, trust me." Her voice was surprisingly calming and Hera found herself relaxing as Jupiter tilted the controller slowly, placing it into position so that they maintained a natural curve. "I suggest that everyone hold on." With an amused tone, Jupiter pushed the ship into hyperspace, making Hera's eyes widen in a flash of horror. They were not maintaining a straight course, there was no way they could possibly…no sooner had the thought entered her mind, they exited hyperspace safely in a heartbeat, making Hera blink in a daze. "Excellent, I think that was rather successful, don't you?" She questioned Hera, who felt as if her stomach had been left behind.

"What…just happened?"

"Do not worry, I was certain my calculations were accurate. The moment we entered hyperspace, maintaining a curve was impossible so we naturally straightened our course, we simply took it at an angle. Here, we are only two sectors away, you see?" Jupiter explained, pointing to the monitor. "But I do not think it wise to remain here too long, they will find us again on their scanners if we do not escape quickly." Still slightly dazed, Hera took a moment to recover her senses and her gut before quickly moving to recalibrate their next jump, everyone radioing in to ask what kind of jump they had underwent to feel so disorientated.

"Just a minor detour, nothing to worry about." Hera answered them, flicking various switches as Jupiter rose back to her feet slowly, watching as Chopper complained about his spinning head so Jupiter laughingly helped him right himself once more, holding his head to keep it from spiralling out of control as Hera ordered him to get back to work so that they could get out of the danger zone. Before the door even opened, Jupiter sensed Ezra and sure enough he hurried inside, leaping onto one of the back of the chairs to look outside.

"Did we hit something? What happened?"

"Oh nothing, just a small taste of the insanity that we've all heard so much about." Hera mentioned in good humour, earning a glowing smile from Jupiter who inclined her head graciously. Her mind considered Roo, waiting for her patiently back on Lothal for her so she lifted her arm and began to open a private communication, ensuring that their link was secure before she spoke.

"Roo, I have become a little distracted, I am afraid I must ask you to wait a little while longer." She informed him and he replied with a series of terse bleeps and whirs in response, making Jupiter arch an eyebrow as the corner of her mouth tilted upwards. "Yes I am aware that you are all alone, but do not worry. You are quite safe and I shall come back for you soon, just remain out of sight until I signal for you." Roo beeped in response. "Yes, I promise." With a final reassurance, Roo answered that he would wait, allowing Jupiter to close the communication, however as she lowered her arm, she noticed that Ezra was staring at her. Or rather, he was staring at the deep scarring of her arm. "Ezra?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude." He quickly looked away, blushing slightly. "It's just…I've heard stories, you know. From Kanan. He says he doesn't know everything, but he had heard stories himself from the temple and that some of them were pretty…horrible."

"That's enough Ezra." Hera began however Jupiter lifted her hand, signalling for peace. Hera had wanted to avoid the subject all together as she too had heard stories, however Jupiter looked perfectly at ease as she drew back he sleeve and displayed her scars more prominently to the young Jedi padawan.

"These scars define me, Ezra Bridger. They remind me of past mistakes and the lessons I learned from them, they are proof that I have survived terrible things." She said to him in a wise voice, allowing him to look for a few moments longer before allowing her sleeve to drop once more, hiding them. "I will tell you the tale another time, but not at this moment, young one." She promised him and Ezra nodded his head, so asked for different stories instead, wanting to know everything that Jupiter could possibly reveal about her past as a Jedi, from the moment she was initiated all the way through the clone wars. Once the Ghost Crew were out of danger, they all sat around a table as Jupiter told her stories, making eyes widen and mouths drop as well as earning bouts of laughter with each tale she told.

In return, she asked where Kanan had been all this time, learning of how he had survived the order to kill all Jedi. There were moments of brightness and instances of melancholy, weights being shed from shoulders as all shared together what they may have not necessarily shared before. Memories of childhood return, lost friends and family recollected, moments of timeless happiness and fulfilment returning to the minds of all present until finally, Jupiter bathed in the warm glow of laughter, carefully studying her companions, particularly Ezra and Kanan. She was glad that they were together and had found good people to call family, it brought her comfort to know that they were surrounded by love and support.

"Master? Are you alright?" Kanan asked her quietly underneath the laughter, noticing how quiet she had become.

"Never better, young Caleb. Never better indeed." She assured him and for the first time, Kanan saw the heaviness in her eyes fade away, becoming as clear as glass with a surreal glitter as for a brief moment, the burden that she carried fell away into a distant peace, allowing her to momentarily forget all the lost souls that she carried with her. As the laughter died down, their moment was interrupted as Sabine questioned what they were going to do if they could not reach the rendezvous point in time to hand over the cargo. Before anyone could answer, Jupiter spoke up. "If I may, I would like to request that the shipment of kyber crystals be delivered to me. In the hands of someone who would use them for their own gain, they could create devastating catastrophe."

"You? Buy the crystals? Doesn't sound too bad, but you see, we have a deal with Cikato Vizago and he doesn't like to be cut off. Besides, we need what he's offering." Zeb said bluntly, earning a glare from Ezra.

"But Master Jupiter has a point, those crystals are surely better off left in her hands where she can keep them safe and put them to better use, right Kanan?" He turned to his master, however Kanan looked uncertain, his eyes clouded as he tried to think. He knew what the right choice was, however he had to think of how letting this cargo go would affect the crew and the rebellion. The payment was desperately needed.

"What is the offer that you desperately require? I shall see to it that all needs are met." Jupiter assured them all, glancing between Hera and Kanan, the former answering in her maternal and gentle voice.

"We need ships for the resistance. We're losing ground in the war and we desperately need to fortify the defences of the fleet." She revealed and Jupiter listened carefully. "Vizago was going to give us information regarding some decommissioned ships that are going to be scrapped soon, so we wanted to get our hands on them before they're lost for good." Her tactful mind already working, Jupiter pursed her lips minutely before inclining her head.

"I can assist you. If it is ships that you need then ships you will have. The information you require is regarding the decommissioned ships from the clone wars, being held in the Outer Rim territories within the Empire's scrapyard for their unwanted machines." Kanan and everyone else was immediately sitting upright, paying close attention to Jupiter. "I have been keeping a close eye on everything that they do, I am not so distant from the affairs of the galaxy as you might think. I shall make a new deal with you all, my friends. For the kyber crystals, I shall give you the coordinates of these ships and I shall also lend you my aid in recovering them, as it will be no easy task taking them from the Empire especially as they could very well expect such a feat to be undertaken." Remaining stern faced and deadly serious, Jupiter looked Kanan and Hera directly in the eye, not even blinking once. "Those crystals belong to the Jedi, quite simply. I will not allow them to be turned over into the hands of a scoundrel pirate."

"This is great! Right guys?" Ezra questioned, looking up hopefully as Hera and Kanan exchanged looks. "This way we get the ships we need _and_ the crystals go to someone we can trust to protect them. We can't always trust Vizago anyway, he's given us dodgy information more than once, so this has to be our only option. Come on guys!" He pestered, impatient and insistent, however Kanan remained uncertain.

"Vizago won't like that we double crossed him, he'll take it as a personal insult that we backed out of our deal and although he's sketchy, we rely on him a great deal for traded goods that we can't get elsewhere." However Ezra was already thinking ahead, a plan formulating in his young mind which caught Jupiter's curious attention.

"We can go through with the deal but then steal the cargo back, it wouldn't be too difficult, right? Especially if Master Jupiter is willing to take back the crystals with us. If we all wear disguises, then Vizago won't ever know it was us!" This prompted everyone to think, recognising it was a good idea, however Zeb scoffed slightly.

"Nice try kid, but we're all a little too recognisable. I don't know about you, but I'm not exactly as common as a Lothal rat, you know." Ezra shot Zeb a look, folding his arms and was about to retaliate when Jupiter spoke, instantly diffusing the situation.

"I shall reclaim the goods alone. No one shall recognise me and this way, there could be no way that Vizago would ever be able to link back the theft to you all. It will not be difficult, simply leave it to me. What we must focus on now is retrieving those ships." With a firm directive now in sight, Hera rose to her feet, smiling serenely.

"I'll contact the fleet, they'll be glad to know we're finally making some headway." Everyone all chimed in agreement, getting up to prepare for a mission however Jupiter remained sitting, sending a message to Roo so that he could meet her at the set of coordinates that they were currently flying towards. As everyone hurriedly bustled about, Jupiter remained in her seat, offering her assistance but everyone insisted that she relaxed for a while, though Ezra tried to goad her into sparring with him, however Kanan quickly clapped him on the back and told him to wait until there was more space so that Jupiter didn't end up slicing him into tiny pieces in such a small area.

Amused with the padawan's insistency, Jupiter promised if there came a time when they had the space and freedom to spar, that she would gladly give him a lesson or two. Kanan simply smirked knowingly. He remembered watching several lessons of younglings, new padawans and even seasoned padawans testing their mettle against Jupiter, however she would never allow even a single hit to land on her, taking on scores of them at a time and still succeeding. Jupiter caught his look and winked at him secretly, the two of them sharing a silent communication before finally, they exited hyperspace and met with the rebellion fleet, causing Jupiter to immediately lift her head.

A familiar presence was nearby, she could already sense it.


	7. Chapter 7

Jupiter boarded the command ship quietly, her hood pulled up over her head to hide her face as she passed by, however as she used the Force to conceal herself, the technicians and pilots did not even look up as she walked passed them. Following after Kanan and the others, Jupiter entered the control room last, the surreal whiteness of her surroundings bringing a certain clarity to the room as finally, her eyes fell upon the figure of a man whom she had not seen in over a decade. Her heart warmed upon seeing him again, slight tears rising to her eyes as Kanan stepped aside to introduce her. "Commander Sato, may I introduce…René Tan-Jinn." Kanan quickly corrected himself before he could accidentally reveal Jupiter's true identity, however Jupiter did not even bat an eyelash as she stepped forwards.

"Greetings, I appreciate you allowing me aboard your ship. I hope that this marks the beginning of an enduring alliance." She spoke melodically, however the moment Rex heard that voice, his head shot up in recognition, quickly turning to face Jupiter however before he could speak, he noticed Ezra quickly shaking his head and slashing his hand at his neck, warning him not to say a word. Rex was too stunned to believe his eyes, shock settling him into an awed silence as the former general walked gracefully around the table, already laying out the attack plan and explaining everyone's parts that they were to play. She was alive, after all these years, the general was still alive. He should have known better than to suspect she had been caught unawares, Rex had heard rumours that some of the Jedi had escaped, but he had never allowed himself to dare hope in case they be in vain.

"Of course, maximum stealth and inconspicuousness is required, therefore the extraction must be timed to perfection." Jupiter continued, however as she spoke her eyes glanced up and met with Rex's, the two of them locking gazes and for a brief moment she faltered, looking upon a face she had seen thousands of times before, however Rex had always been so distinct to her. She could hardly believe how different he looked, his accelerated maturation having aged him twice as much in the past fifteen years. Quickly dragging her eyes back to the commander, Jupiter continued until finally, all plans and backups were explained and she awaited the commander's response.

"Well, I must say, your style of approach is quite…unusual." He mused, thinking over the plan carefully as Jupiter chuckled.

"I have been told so many times before." She answered simply. "But I assure you, my strategies have never failed me in the past and they will not fail now. We will have those ships, one way or another, you have my word on that, commander." Sato requested some time to reflect and consider, so the Ghost crew left the control room and Jupiter followed, however the moment they were out in the hall, she turned around and waited, watching as finally, after a few moments, Rex followed.

"General, is it really you?" He questioned, still hardly able to believe, however as Jupiter pulled down her hood, the familiar features struck Rex instantly and numerous memories pounded back into his head, almost making it spin. "By the stars, it's been so long."

"Hello there, Captain Rex. I have dearly missed you, my friend." Jupiter murmured, quickly stepping forwards and fixed her arms around him, embracing him securely before she lifted a hand to his face, observing his beard with mirth sparkling in her eyes. "You have changed so much, has it really been fifteen years?"

"Add or take a few months, I suppose." He agreed, chuckling humorously as everyone behind them smiled. For a while neither spoke, simply standing in one another's presence once more, as with the memories that returned, so came the worst of them. Jupiter could see Rex, however as she recalled how he had looked when he was younger, so did she remember all of her fellow soldiers of the one hundredth and twelfth, those she considered her friends. Most of all, however, she could see Keyes. His stern face, harsh gaze and uptight stature which only relaxed after Jupiter's constant teasing and contrasting softness, allowing him to relax around her and more often around his men. They had been such a team, fighting side by side and back to back from almost the very beginning of the war. She missed him with a great pain in her chest, a tear sliding down her cheek as all the memories compressed into an ache that she had to add to the others that she dragged along with her. "There now general, it'll be alright, you'll see." Rex reassured her, returning his arms about Jupiter to embrace her once more as she relaxed against his chest.

"You may call me Jupiter, Rex. I no longer hold the title of general, so let us bypass formalities. I am so very glad to see you, dear friend." She murmured before lifting her head finally, displaying a smile that Rex had often seen before, even amidst the thickest of battles. They had not fought often together, however whenever they had, Rex had always remembered just how alive Jupiter became whenever something threatened her men and how intense she could be. It made him laugh in hindsight and his chuckles infected Jupiter, causing her to laugh also as she laced her arm through his and together they walked, the Ghost crew having left to give them privacy so that they could take their time, conversing with one another as if it were only yesterday they were tramping through the thick fog of Umbara, which now felt like a lifetime ago.


	8. Chapter 8

Approaching the coordinates in the Ghost, Jupiter stood tall beside Rex as they observed the setting ahead of them. They exited hyperspace and immediately Hera began to navigate her way through the space junkyard, avoiding huge floating debris of battleship wreckages from numerous wars in the past. "This has to be the saddest looking dump I've ever seen." She mused, remaining undetected with their advanced cloaking systems, allowing them to approach until finally Jupiter spotted a practical hiding place.

"Land inside that fuel conduit there, we will proceed with the plan once we are inside."

"As you say, master Jedi." Hera responded, turning her head to give Jupiter a warm smile before navigating the ship towards the massive pipe like structure before landing inside. "Alright kids, get your suits on it's time to get to work. We need those ships pronto, I don't want anything less than perfection so we can impress our esteemed guest. Make mommy proud." Hera instructed them all and Jupiter chuckled as she and Rex put on their helmets, their suits providing them with the correct air pressure and a moderate level of oxygen so that they would be able to breathe outside.

"I still think this is a crazy idea and there's no way it'll work." Sabine noted pointedly as they all gathered at the airlock, entering all together after making their final checks that their suits were functioning correctly and efficiently before the doors shut behind them, the air being drawn out of the room so that they weren't sucked out into space once the hatch opened.

"You need to learn to have a little faith Sabine, I have no doubt that this plan will go off without a hitch. We'll go in, get those ships and be out before anyone even notices that we were there." Kanan responded, however both Rex and Jupiter both laughed in response, tossing one another a knowing grin.

"I wished the plan would be a success based on your optimism alone. There's no way any plan will ever go without something cropping up to complicate things, the general knows this all too well. Remember that bomb experiment on Malastare, general? We woke up that indestructible beast and it got loose on Coruscant after we managed to capture and bring it back." Rex recalled and Jupiter nodded her head.

"Yes I remember, goodness me that was quite a fiasco, things certainly did not go according to plan that time." Jupiter mused as the hatch opened and they all exited. "But your concerns are unnecessary, Sabine, I assure you that this mission shall be successful. My tactics may be rather haphazard, however I always achieve my goal in the end one way or another." As they exited the ship the hatch closed behind them, allowing them to slowly move forwards to the opposite end of the pipe, their weighted boots helping to ground them.

"This is fun!" Ezra grinned, jumping up and giving a slow summersault before he landed back on firm grounding once more, however not before Kanan rolled his eyes.

"One day, you're going to do something reckless and it will finally teach you a lesson you won't forget." Kanan warned him, giving a stern look before moving forwards, taking the lead as Zeb snorted, clapping Ezra on the shoulder roughly before he too moved forwards. Jupiter smiled in understanding, giving Ezra a nod before she looked out into the mass that appeared before them. Piles upon piles of scrap left abandoned by the empire, however as they watched a stream of wasted parts came rushing past them, being drawn down a main channel which then directed itself towards a different mountain of trash.

"Well, at least there's some method to the madness." Zeb reasoned bluntly, cracking his knuckles and shifting a little uneasily, knowing exactly what was coming next and the mere thought of flinging himself out into open space made his stomach churn but he didn't it show, not wanting to lose face with the others.

"We'll ride our way over to the southern sector, that's where the ships are being kept." Kanan informed everyone, running them over the plan once more as he opened up a scan of the massive facility on a hologram. "We'll enter the hanger without being noticed at these three points. Zeb, you're with Ezra, Sabine you're with me and Rex, you're with Jupiter." Ezra and Zeb began to protest once more about being stuck with one another, however Kanan quickly cut over them. "Argue as much as you like, this is how it's happening. Now, everyone just follow my lead, just remember to hold your breath." With a slight glint in his eyes, Kanan rose up to his feet and nodded to Jupiter. "You ready master?"

"Of course, I shall tell you when to jump." She informed him, stepping back slightly to watch the oncoming entourage of scrap, waiting for the best opportune moment until finally, she saw it coming. "Get ready." She warned and Kanan immediately dropped his weight. "Now!" Taking a brave leap out into the open, Jupiter lifted her hand and guided Kanan further out, sending him directly onto an engine thruster which he caught hold of and instantly he was pulled along with the traffic. "Sabine, you're next. Get ready…jump!" One by one Jupiter sent them across, Rex following Sabine before Ezra then took the jump, giving a hoot of laughter before surfing a broken solar panel until finally, only herself and Zeb remained.

"Alright, you can do this, it's not that far really, if the kid can do it then so can you." He muttered under his breath, dancing on his feet and shaking himself out, getting ready to jump.

"There is no need to be nervous Zeb, I am right here and shall not allow you to drift. Have faith to take the leap." Jupiter encouraged, however Zeb instantly protested that he wasn't frightened, simply a little wary. His tough attitude earned an understanding smile, so with a flash of mischievous in her eyes, Jupiter gave Zeb the push he needed. Immediately he felt himself drifting aimlessly and he yelled out, thrashing wildly with wide eyes until suddenly he could feel the motion of him moving rather swiftly backwards.

"Huh?" Twisting around he found he was flying, gliding directly over to the channel of moving parts before he managed to grab on. Once he was settled, he flung a filthy look back over his shoulder to where he knew Jupiter was laughing to herself in amusement. He'd get her back for that, she wouldn't even see it coming. Turning backwards to face where the others were waiting, he only let go once he was level with the mountain pile, allowing Kanan and Ezra to pull him back towards them with the Force, slowly setting him on his feet.

"You looked like a fish out of water Zeb, you weren't scared were you?" Ezra teased however Zeb just growled in warning, wanting nothing more than to pummel that boy's head in but he restrained himself. For the time being.

"Play nice you two, we're still waiting on Master Jupiter." Kanan waved them into silence, watching as Jupiter launched herself into the channel, using the Force to give herself some extra propelling motion before landing on top of her ride. Not stopping there, Jupiter began to race forwards, jumping with artistic leaps and vaults, approaching much faster than the others had.

"She hasn't changed one bit." Rex mused with amusement as Jupiter sailed past them, giving them a single salute before she then pushed herself off and took the next mountain so that she was ready to pull the others onto the next traffic line, just as they had planned. Accepting her challenge, Kanan smirked and readily attempted to rise to her standard, however failed miserably much to Ezra's entertainment. They made their way to the control centre, one Jedi taking a single companion before finally they broke off, avoiding drones and scavenger droids all the while.

"Alright, everyone keep low and do _not_ get caught, the longer we can stay out of sight, the better." Kanan reiterated quietly, keeping his voice low they all crouched down together in a circle.

"Shouldn't Jupiter be the one leading us? This is her plan after all." Sabine reasoned pointedly, glancing across to the older woman and Kanan blinked, slightly taken aback before blushing, realising that he had commandeered command slightly out of habit.

"The one who leads is not important, it is the level of skill that they demonstrate in leadership which matters." Jupiter answered reassuringly, dipping her head to Kanan with her soft smile visible behind the visor of her suit. "I am willing to follow your lead, go right ahead." Extending her hand to offer Kanan the freedom to take charge, the younger Jedi inclined his head gratefully before running everyone through a quick recap of their role, ensuring that they had their heads in the right mind set before finally, they all broke off. "Rex, allow me."

"Thank you general." Rex answered in an equally warm voice, the two effortlessly moving into one mode of similarity, allowing them to move as a single being. Years of programmed training returned to Rex as he hurried along the wall towards their vantage point, weapon ready to fire with Jupiter leading the way. When she stopped Rex was immediately still, waiting as Jupiter held out her hand and the moment a drone flew out from around the corner she directed it into the line of traffic, allowing it to be caught up so that it was broken into pieces without spotting them. "Feels just like old times."

"I heartily agree with you my friend." Jupiter mused, standing upright as she carefully observed her surroundings. "Though our time on the battlefield together was limited, it was certainly an unforgettable experience." Looking across at Rex the two shared a glance of platonic intimacy before she gave him a firm nod, pointing upwards so he readied himself, gripping onto his weapon tightly as Jupiter slowly lifted him off the ground. Raising her hand, Jupiter guided him towards an open ventilation shaft, levitating him steadily until he managed to grab on and pull himself inside. Once he gave the all clear, Jupiter launched herself up to join him, crouching inside the rounded pipeline before sliding forwards after Rex who had already started ahead of her.

"I'm too old for this." Rex grumbled, pushing himself forcibly through the slightly too tight system, grunting a little as his broader size made it a little more difficult for him to move, so Jupiter assisted with a little push and helped force him through the gap until finally, they were out in open space. "I bet that Jedi did that on purpose." He accused with a grunt, dusting himself off as Jupiter elegantly dropped down beside him.

"Now, now, you two should learn to get along better. Do not make me clang your heads together and lock you both in a room to sort out your differences." She warned him humorously, walking directly past to continue the route to the main docking hangers where their ships awaited them. A tingle of anticipation tickled at Jupiter's fingertips, hardly stopping except to hide as storm troopers passed them by, never aware of either her or Rex's presence as they moved stealthily forwards until finally, they reached their goal.

The doors in front of them were secured with pressurised locks and would take time to blast through, however Jupiter merely gave a slow wave of her hand in front of the door and instantly the locks disappeared, the door sliding open so that both she and Rex could step into the hanger and quickly located a place to hide. "There they are." Jupiter murmured with a deep tone of reminiscence, gazing affectionately to the three ships that were docked there. However, these were not just any ships, these were _her_ ships. "The _Unbowed_ , the _Unbroken_ , and the _Hammerfell_."

"Well I'll be, they still kept these old tin cans after the war?" Rex blinked in surprise but when he looked at the warm gaze in the general's eyes, he knew very well the sentimental value these ships held for her. The _Sagacious_ and the _Unbent_ had long since been scrapped, one of them being completely destroyed at Kashyyk by the droids, however Rex was impressed to see these ships still in such good order. They looked old, however he was certain they would fly. "No wonder you came back for them general."

"These ships deserve to be used for a good purpose instead of collecting dust here. It is high time I came back to claim what was under my authority." She responded simply before glancing across to take a full count of the guards and their positions. "If my calculations are correct, the power will be cut in three…two…one…" Instantly a dimness gathered throughout the hanger, the lights and surveillance system shutting down with a whir, leaving the guards in a confusion.

"What was that?" Jupiter remained still, awaiting the right time to move. "Control, what's our status?" The guard continued. "No disturbances here, everything is normal. We'll be on high alert, just get those generators back up and running, they must have glitched again. This is the third time this week, I can't wait to get my transfer papers." The guard complained and his companion agreed. Hearing that they had called in all clear, Jupiter cut her hand down to give Rex the signal and together they sprang forwards and knocked out both guards with a single blow, dropping them to the ground and quickly hid their unconscious bodies just as the others arrived, their timing perfect.

Kanan and Sabine took out the guards on the east side whilst Zeb and Ezra descended from above on cables, stunning all in their sights as quickly and silently as possible. "Whoa! I can't believe that worked, our plans never go that smoothly!" Ezra stated in surprise, gingerly tapping one of the guards with his boot as Zeb and Kanan collected them up to hide them.

"Just get on board one of the ships, will you? We're not out of this yet. Sabine, start working on getting these things off the ground, time is running out."

"You got it." She saluted as Jupiter began to make her way to the control room. Unless these ships were released from lockdown, they wouldn't be going anywhere.

"Kanan, the _Hammerfell_ is mine, once you are done get her warmed up. I shall join you once my business is concluded in the control room." She instructed, already striding forwards with strong and powerful steps, leaving everyone in her wake though Ezra seemed reluctant to stay behind.

"Wait! I can help you, you can't go off on your own, what if you get caught out?" The young boy called after her, however Jupiter was already away and did not have time to stop. Rex chuckled, clapping Ezra on the back in reassurance, however his heavy blows sent him jerking violently forwards and into a coughing fit.

"Don't worry lad, there's no one tougher than the general. She can handle anything thrown her way." He said as a means to pacify the boy, however Ezra continued to pout slightly, glancing back after Jupiter then towards his master who was beginning to get the ships online and ready to move, however much to their horror, they very quickly discovered that they had very minimal fuel and their hyperdrives had been disengaged. "Ah, that's not good."

"I'll tell Master Tan-Jinn, she'll know what to do!" Ezra immediately offered and before anyone could stop him, sprinted off after Jupiter. In her wake, Ezra found several unconscious bodies, all dropped without a single infliction of injury from a lightsaber or otherwise. Frowning slightly, he followed where his senses guided him, allowing the magnetic pull of the superior Jedi guide him until finally he found the control room and inside, Jupiter was fighting off an entire score of storm troopers on her own. His eyes widened, staring as her closed fists struck like thunder, the strange art form instantly demanding his full attention as Jupiter, spun low, slicing out her feet to take down two at once before she quickly rammed her body into them, one fist slicing upwards in an uppercut before she then switched stances, returning to the defensive as one of the storm troopers recovered.

He took a wide swing which Jupiter instantly blocked, the hood shadowing her face and obscuring it from view, however Ezra could see the slight smirk on her lips, casting her into a rather terrifying appearance as her fist struck with so much force that the trooper was left sprawled on the floor completely still. "Wow…" Ezra breathed, instantly snatching Jupiter's attention.

"Ezra, you are not supposed to be up here!" She reprimanded quickly, striding across to the control panel to begin the release protocol.

"I came to tell you that the ships are low on fuel and their hyperdrives have been deactivated! They're stuck here unless we can fix them and fast." He reported to her quickly, not wanting to get into too much trouble for deviating from the plan, however Jupiter was already distracted by this news.

"Hm, I suspected they would be low on fuel and it is logical that the hyperdrives be deactivated. Not to worry, they are stationed at refuelling docks, all that needs to be done is for their fuel gages to be opened." Jupiter listed predominantly to herself before then communicating Kanan. "Spectre One, I have Spectre Six with me. You must open the fuel hatches on all three ships and I shall activate the refuelling sequence. We do not have much time, so whilst the refuelling is occurring, you must reactivate the hyperdrives." Jupiter explained to him. "I cannot do it remotely, so you must do it manually. Listen carefully to these instructions…" Jupiter gave them all detailed directions for each ship so that they could navigate their way to the correct part of the ship and how to return the hyperdrive to full function.

"How do you know all this stuff?" Ezra questioned after she had finished giving her orders, though her attention had remained solely on gathering all the information she could gather out of the computer system and hacking into any and all private files that she could reach. "It's almost like you know the ships personally, how could you give so much detail on each one?"

"Well Ezra, because once upon a time, a _long_ time ago now, these very same ships were under my command." Jupiter explained and Ezra's jaw instantly dropped. "That is correct, I commanded a fleet consisting of three flagships and one star-destroyer. They were older models, but they were made out of strong stuff. They survived hundreds of battles, always pulling through. The _Hammerfell_ was a later addition, a commandeered Separatist ship that I had remodelled to break through blockades. It's the strongest ship you will ever see in the galaxy, just you wait." Jupiter promised, nostalgically smiling as she spoke. Ezra could not wait to hear of all the stories concerning these ships, let alone get a closer look. The two flagships looked absolutely huge in comparison to the _Hammerfell_ , so he could only imagine that the star-destroyer would have been at least ten times the size.

"So…what are you looking for?" He pressed, filling the silence as he noticed that Jupiter seemed to be searching for something rather urgently, however she merely gave him a soft expression.

"You will see." With all of her time spent and all the information she could claim now successfully downloaded, Jupiter looked out over the hanger, however when she observed that two new figures had appeared, both carrying bright red blades, she was immediately startled. Being so preoccupied, her senses had momentarily lacked the acuteness needed to sense such dark figures who were used to cloaking themselves to hide from view.

"Uh oh, we're in trouble." Ezra gulped, also seeing the flash of two red double bladed lightsabers as Kanan held off one whilst Rex, Sabine and Zeb fired at the other, however they were quickly losing ground. "Those are the Inquisitors, they're with the Empire and they hunt down Jedi like us. They've been tracking us for some time now. We have to help!" Ezra spun around to turn and run, however Jupiter quickly caught him by his sleeve, halting him in place.

"Patience young padawan. When a more direct route is optional, always proceed with the option that provides the most benefit." Giving a quick wink, Jupiter faced the huge glass windows and with a firm push of her hand, shattered them with the Force before leaping out, pulling Ezra with her as they sprung off the control panel. Ezra yelled out of instinct, alerting the Inquisitors to their presence however the moment Jupiter landed, the ominous presence she brought with her instantly made them pull together, staring in confusion.

"What is this? A new member to your party? How exciting." The female cooed sarcastically however as Jupiter rose to her feet, the hood that cast unforgiving shadows over her face only made the Inquisitors shift slightly. The distortion of balance surrounding the Force made them uncomfortable, they could sense its strength and power from this woman, however they had no idea exactly who she was and what it meant to face her.

"J…René be careful, they're dangerous." Kanan warned, clutching his side as Sabine helped Zeb move slowly towards one of the ships.

"Leave them to me. Board the _Unbowed_ and _Unbroken_ and begin evacuation. I shall join you shortly." Jupiter promised them, standing perfectly still as she kept a secure grip on Ezra, holding him behind her to shield him before finally giving him a gentle nudge, indicating he should go to Rex and join the others.

"But…" Her head tilted slightly and Ezra could simply feel the dark glower from Jupiter so he swallowed his argument and hurriedly raced over to the others who quickly finished up preparations to leave whilst Jupiter stared down the Inquisitors. They were not amused by this situation, not one bit. They had answered the distress signal that someone in control had managed to send out knowing full well who would be here, however this new figure brought too many unanswered questions.

"Do not think that we will allow you to escape!" The female called out sharply and turned to spring after them however the moment she took off, Jupiter flicked out her hand and yanked the sister back, dragging her across the floor unceremoniously before allowing her to hit a pile of canisters rather unforgivingly.

"Do not insult me by assuming that I will allow you to touch any of them. Come, I am your opponent, so it is my blade that you shall meet." Jupiter declared, drawing out one of the lightsabers that she carried and the blade extended with a soft thrum, a sound all too familiar to her. The purple light shone vividly and immediately both Inquisitors stared, shocked and even more confused.

"That blade, you truly are Jedi. A strong one too." The other Inquisitor mused darkly, the deep growl of his voice grating against Jupiter's ears as he immediately took an attack stance, lowering down before charging. Jupiter awaited him, not moving until the last moment where she spun a full circle, robes flaring outwards as she switched hand positions and sliced downwards, forcing the Inquisitor to quickly drag himself back out the way and desperately parry her blows, however Jupiter proved both too quick and too vicious for him to contend with.

Her blows were hard and powerful, forcing him back as she hit with a punching motion to block before then striking with a reverse gripped slash, using her free hand to pull objects forwards and block his path so that he tripped up over them as he stumbled backwards. "RAAAAGH!" His companion quickly came to his rescue, attempting to hack down at Jupiter's back but the Force forewarned her of the attempt so she slipped backwards and with a fist punching directly upwards, the sister felt a heavy blow be delivered to her stomach which winded her greatly. With a final kick, Jupiter sent her sliding away to then crash against her companion, the two of them groaning, thoroughly defeated.

"You are both a disgrace to the art form of the lightsaber. You should be ashamed of yourselves." Jupiter informed them coldly, slicing out her blade before disengaging it, brushing her thumb over the familiar hilt of her master's weapon before she turned and hurried to the _Hammerfell_ before they could awaken once more. Kanan and the others had already taken the other two ships and left to rendezvous with Hera, so Jupiter cranked up the speed and rammed her way out of the hanger, the hammerhead skull like build easily crashing through. "This is Spectre Seven, I am en route to your location, standby."

"Jupiter? Yeah, about that, we may have a problem." Ezra's voice spoke through her comm. link and Jupiter turned up the volume to hear him properly, relaxing her hand over the familiar controls as her old ship rumbled heartily, almost purring like an old cat as she powered through a scrap channel, not even leaving a dent in her side as she ploughed her way through. "Those Inquisitors seem to have brought a few friends and when I mean friends, I mean a star cruiser!" He panicked so Jupiter lifted her eyes, throwing out her senses to get a better read on the situation.

"Everyone form up on me. Spectre One, have Spectre Two make the jump to lightspeed and inform her that we shall join her back at the fleet." Jupiter immediately began to take command, a plan leaping to her mind as she began to flick various switches and turn dials, preparing her hyperdrive. "I will need everyone to do exactly as I say, I am coming up behind you." Jupiter approached both flagships and went straight through the middle, the both of them having reduced their speed. "Match my speed, accelerate now!"

"Yes master." Kanan answered, relaying the information so that both flagships began to pick up the pace, aiming directly for the nose of the giant star cruiser that was standing in their way, blocking their escape path and beginning to release their own TIE fighters. "I hope this works master, otherwise this might be a pretty close call."

"Just trust me." Jupiter assured them all with a calm and collected tone, feeling a sense of familiarity overcome her. "When I give the word, I want you both to break off and roll onto your sides, skim the side of the ship and make the jump to hyperspace. I shall be right behind you after I have sufficiently drawn their attention away from you both." She explained, reaching out and punching a button to add the secondary thrusters.

"Wait, you want us to make the jump…whilst _surfing_ that destroyer?!" Zeb practically yelled however Jupiter did not answer, merely smirked as the first assault wave came at them.

"Get ready…now!" With a yell Jupiter gave one last push and aimed her ship directly for the bridge, flying at speed as both flagships broke off, turning onto their sides as all TIE fighters immediately turned on Jupiter, attempting to take apart her ship as she posed the largest threat. Kanan and Sabine successfully made the jump, disappearing into hyperspace so Jupiter relaxed, exhaling the breath she had been holding as she took numerous hits, the entire ship rattling and shaking however she lovingly rubbed the surface. "Easy now, we're almost out of here." Jupiter spoke affectionately before pulling up on the controls, carefully aiming ever so slightly above the bridge so that as she made the jump, she skimmed above without causing damage to her own ship with such a sudden acceleration of velocity into a solid object.

The stars flared around her, blazing brilliantly as she crossed the galaxy to join her companions, allowing herself to relax for a brief moment in their small victory in a seemingly endless war.


	9. Chapter 9

The Resistance were overjoyed to have such powerful ships at their command, however Jupiter left explicit instructions that they were to be well taken care of and, should the war ever end, they would not be scrapped when they fell out of use. It was sentimental of her, but they were a large link to a time when her family and friends had surrounded her on all fronts, a time where although war ravaged the galaxy, there were still moments to be enjoyed. Rex also understood the sentimentality and personally swore that he would oversee their use and keep them in top shape, saluting Jupiter who chuckled before embracing him tightly.

"And remember, don't be a stranger anymore general. It'll be good to see you every now and then." He reminded her as they released one another, standing close as Rex peered under Jupiter's hood into familiar eyes that still shone with the strength of her youth. "I know Commander Tano will be sad to have missed you."

"Ahsoka…I knew in my heart that she was alright. Thank you Rex, for helping her to escape." Jupiter murmured to him before reaching forwards and kissing his cheek. "I shall be back, I promise." During their time reminiscing, Rex had revealed to Jupiter that Ahsoka was still alive and very much an active part in the Resistance, which had brought Jupiter such untold joy. They held one another's gazes for a moment longer before finally they let go, stepping back so that Jupiter could return to her own task at hand, searching for Force sensitive younglings out there in the galaxy and bringing them to the safety of the temple home she had helped formulate.

"Next time I see you, can you teach me all those cool moves that you do with your lightsaber? I want to be able to fight just like that!" Ezra pleaded immediately as Jupiter turned around to face him, making her laugh richly.

"Ezra Bridger, you have a mind that is as tempestuous as a storm. You must learn to quieten your thoughts if you are ever to understand the value of serenity." She said to him, reaching out with a single finger and placed it at the centre of his brow where instantly his eyes widened, feeling his head empty of all thoughts until nothing was left but a surreal peace, and within that wealth of amity lay an infinity of something much more that Ezra had never felt before. "True peace is a direct connection to strength. It allows an action to be unrestrained yet controlled and also dictates when action is not necessary." Ezra frowned, not entirely sure of what Jupiter was trying to explain to him as she lowered her hand to his shoulder looking him directly in the eye. "You will understand one day, I assure you." She promised before drawing back her hand, making to move forwards however without warning, Ezra threw his arms around her waist.

For a moment Jupiter stood stunned, blinking down at Ezra before relaxing, resting a hand upon his back and affectionately stroking back his hair until he released her, looking up with a determined expression. "Next time we meet, I'll be even stronger, that's a promise!"

"Then perhaps I shall learn from you instead, Ezra Bridger. In the meantime, mind what Kanan teaches you. He is wise and a great example of a leader." She said to him, giving a stern yet soft look as Kanan blushed slightly. "And has more potential than he realises that he has to offer." Zeb frowned, scratching his head.

"I'm pretty sure everything that comes out of your mouth is a riddle of some sort. It makes my head spin." He complained, Chopper whirring in agreement and Jupiter chuckled in amusement, bidding her goodbyes to Zeb, Sabine, Chopper and also Hera, the two touching foreheads in farewell before finally, Jupiter reached Kanan. The two looked at one another, understanding melding the two together as she slowly pulled him towards her, cupping his face to kiss his cheek and whisper in his ear so that no one else would hear her.

"Never forget who you are, Caleb Dume, or where it was that you came from. Do not forget the people that we have both left behind, or the life that no longer exists. It will live through us, with each day that we breathe and teach others of what it means to be a Jedi." Pulling away, Jupiter gave one final motherly smile, brushing her thumb against his cheek. "Remember, I shall always come when you call, simply ask through the Force and it shall connect us all, no matter how far the distance may be between us."

"I shall remember, master." He vowed solemnly, giving a deep and respectful bow to the Grand Master who returned the gesture, eyes closed as they bowed to one another in mutual respect before finally, Jupiter boarded her starfighter where Roo was already berating her for being late. "Master!" Kanan called out, making Jupiter look back to him as she lowered herself into the cockpit, seeing Kanan's serious gaze meet hers. "Don't forget what I told you about Master Luminara, it's not right that her body be kept by the Empire. If you can…please bring her to a place where she can finally rest."

"You need not worry, Caleb, Master Luminara shall be rescued and put to rest with her people, where she belongs." Jupiter reassured with a single nod of her head before turning to face the hatch, the safety barriers flickering pale blue as she rose off the ground and headed for the open stars after connecting to her hyperdrive ring. Roo whistled at her worriedly, earning a small smirk. "Yes Roo, this _does_ mean that we are going somewhere dangerous." More beeps. "No, I am not at all afraid. Not at all."


	10. Chapter 10

Sitting in front of the main computer, Jupiter carefully searched through the inventory of data that she had accessed at the supposedly highly secure Imperial prison on Stygeon Prime. Recovering the body of Master Luminara had become a top priority and Jupiter had returned to Typhon to gather together the assistance of Kale and Emma, both of whom Jupiter knew would be the most effective in this operation. With Kale leading his apprentice, Jupiter guided them to their goal where they finally reached the remains of Master Luminara, her body being used to draw in other Jedi from hiding. Jupiter intended to put a stop to it.

"Well done, but do not allow yourself to lose focus. We are still a long way from the safety of our home." Jupiter guided softly and slowly, observing them on the screen as she controlled everything from her seat in the command centre, having already disabled communications and shut down the power grid in one sector to draw the focus of maintenance and security, allowing Kale and Erin to rush for their target.

"Understood master, we're moving out now." Kale's deep voice answered her and Jupiter smiled softly, watching as Erin assisted her master to push the floating coffin out of the cell and towards their exit. Seeing that they would be safe for the time being, Jupiter turned her attention to the list of inmates and began to search all existing files, knowing full well what it was she was after. Her last data grab had been unsuccessful, however already green lights were beginning to flash in front of her, making her heart quiver in her chest slightly. Names. Names cropping up again and again until finally, Jupiter had a list of all prisoners that had either been her or were still on lockdown, with one standing out most prominently.

"I have found you…" She whispered, eyes widening slightly before rising to her feet, transferring the information over to her datapad, scanning through before setting to work. "Kale, Erin, ensure that Master Luminara is safely escorted off planet. I shall be along shortly, there are…things I must investigate."

"Understood master." Kale answered, however Erin immediately protested, wanting to know exactly what Jupiter was up to.

"Master Jupiter, you can't deviate from the plan now! It's not safe here, we need to get out whilst we still have the chance!" She insisted rather determinedly, however Kale was quick to chide her, insisting that Master Jupiter was more than capable of taking care of herself and not to question the Grand Master, as it was not her place. "But…" Erin trailed off, still uncertain and feeling greatly uncomfortable that their stay in this ghastly place was being extended.

"Remain put until I give further instructions, I shall not be long." Jupiter reassured them both before rising from her feet, putting in several last commands into the computer before pressing a large red button, which immediately opened all the doors from the command centre to her destination. It will save her time, now all she must do is avoid being seen or caught. With her entire body tingling in anticipation and hope, Jupiter set off, moving quickly and quietly, watching the cameras carefully so that as they blinked off, she moved past them. She had set them on a timer, making them shut down on a rotation that would allow her to pass unseen throughout the prison down to the lower levels to the incarceration unit.

Before her were huge blast doors, reinforced and locked down never to be opened, however Jupiter was not going to allow a mere stand between her and her goal. With the cameras off, she knew it was safe to act without being seen, so she lifted her hand and focused upon the doors, closing her eyes to reach out for the mechanism and slowly, the massive pins began to shift under her guidance. With a loud clanking and grinding, the door unlocked and slid apart, allowing Jupiter to step inside where immediately she was met with hundreds upon hundreds of incarceration pods, all of them stood upright with small glass windows to reveal their faces.

These were the most dangerous of criminals…or the most important of enemies. Jupiter began to recognise a few of them as they walked, some she had even put in here herself. She could sense them nearby, but with time swiftly running out, Jupiter knew she did not have the liberty of going and searching each and every pod, so instead she hurried over to the control desk and began to activate the droids that lined the edges of the room. They were simple mechanic droids, however Jupiter began to upload the instruction to retrieve designated incarceration pods and move them to a specific landing bay, where Kale and Erin awaited. "Go now, hurry." Jupiter encouraged softly, watching as the droids paused a moment, running their new instructions through their programming before accepting them, Jupiter having already overridden the security detail.

They scattered out into the vast sea of pods, activating their levitation controls so that they could be pushed in an orderly manner towards the exit, Jupiter waiting at the head before leading the way, knowing full well that this would be the most difficult part of the extraction. Her strides were lengthy and determined, hood pulled low over her face with her hands hidden in her sleeves, laced together serenely but with her fingers tightly gripping onto her lightsabers in order to reach them quickly should the need arise. It was quiet, however in the distance she could hear everyone still trying to deal with the maintenance issues that she had instigated. The path was clear. Mostly.

"Halt, who goes…!" Before the storm trooper could even finish, Jupiter pushed out her hand and sent him flying backwards, crashing against the wall then dragged him back towards her at high speed. With a crack of her arm against the soldier's helmeted face, he dropped to the ground unconscious.

"Hm. I remember the soldiers to be much tougher once upon a time." Jupiter muttered with disdain, pushing the unconscious body into a storage room and closing the door behind her. "These storm troopers are rather lacking." Giving a sigh of disappointment, Jupiter continued to lead the droids as they pushed their cargo towards the landing bay where Kale already had the engines running with Erin waiting impatiently on the ramp, searching for the Grand Master until finally, the graceful gait of Jupiter stepped forward from the shadows.

"Master! We were beginning to worry, you were gone such a long time…what's all this?" Erin stopped, staring as the droids began to push the pods in one by one. "Who are all these people? What is happening master?" She glanced between Jupiter and the pods, frowning as she looked in but could barely make out the features as the glass panel had frosted over.

"You will see, young padawan. Go inside, it is time to leave." Jupiter instructed, glad that they had managed to capture such a large cargo ship. It was used to transport prisoners to the planet, however it provided them with the room for all of these pods, which were being stood back up one by one, the droids asserting their job was done before quietly leaving once more.

"Master…" With a stern look, Erin fell silent and obeyed. Jupiter was not one to explain herself immediately, so Erin knew that she had to be patient and await for the master to be ready to talk. For now, she had to wait. There were about two dozen pods coming with them and Jupiter oversaw them all before finally, she gave the order to take off. Kale was all too happy to leave, however he could sense the concern and questions in his padawan's mind as she sat next to him, helping him pilot the ship out of the prison without even being questioned once. It were as if they had arrived and left like ghosts, no one even noticing their presence or the absence of numerous prisoners until it was too late. They were far across the stars by that point. "You seem troubled Erin, what is on your mind?" Kale asked, the ship having made the jump to lightspeed the moment they had left the atmosphere.

"Master Jupiter doesn't tell me anything. She's so secretive and it's bugging me! Who are all those people? Why didn't she tell us that she was going to get them too, I thought this was all about Master Luminara, but she acts like she doesn't even care about her! _She's_ a Jedi, these other people are just criminals, right?!" She ranted, confused and her short temper spiking so Kale sighed, glancing back at the controls to ensure that everything was in order before he stood up.

"Come." He said but signalled they should be quiet. Erin frowned but nodded, following her master who took her out of the cockpit and down to the main cargo bay, where all the pods were situated in their locks to keep them from falling over. "See? Master Jupiter does care, you are simply not seeing the entire picture." Erin blinked, looking down to see Jupiter standing before the remains of Master Luminara, an ominous miasma of grief and reverie surrounding her as she placed a hand against the glass, feeling the bitterness of old wounds opening once more to be in the presence of an old fellow master. "Master Jupiter carries a pain that neither of us will ever understand. She has made sacrifices, lost everything, been forced to kill people she cared for and leave others behind in order to save a small number of us, including you." Kale continued quietly, not wanting to disturb his former master.

Jupiter felt heavy, as if her bones were suddenly made of lead and the crushing against her chest intensified as she slowly began to move around, gazing into the faces of the ones she had rescued, brushing away the ice to reveal them more clearly. "Can you not sense it, Erin? These people mean something to her. The deep connection that she has with these people, whomever may be, are what drew her back to them. Master Jupiter may be the Grand Master, but there was a time when she was just like you and I, and that was a time when she had people that she called family. Even though we Jedi are encouraged not to form attachments, there are some bonds that cannot be broken." Erin watched as Jupiter stopped before one particular incarceration pod, gazing upwards and, with a gasp of shock, realised that the master had tears in her eyes as she reached out and pressed her forehead against the cool metal. This one meant the most to her, Erin could sense it.

"So…who are they?" Kale could not answer as he did not yet know, however as they both looked down to observe Jupiter, they fell into a hush as the Grand Master pulled back slightly from the pod, brushing away the ice and mist to clear the glass so that she could gaze into the sleeping face that lay within. Her heart was a painful knot of emotions, unable to look away. After years of searching, she had finally found him. She did not know whether or not she would be able to save him, but at least now her dear friend was away from that deadly place and would be safe with her, where she knew he would want to be. Placing her hand where his heart would be, Jupiter gave a small smile, still looking up into his face.

"Welcome home, Keyes."


	11. Chapter 11

Jupiter knew what needed to be done, however in order to do so, she needed a favour. If it was a favour she needed, there was only one person she could think of whom she could trust. The mere thought had her chuckling, seeing as to trust this particular person was largely problematic and greatly unwise, however Jupiter trusted in his sense of honour that he would not betray her. Even so, precaution was required. After all, this was Hondo Ohnaka. It had taken some time to track him down, however once she had his location pinned, it was easy enough to find his ship in space and once she had travelled the vastness of space to be able to make contact, it was easy to lock him down.

Sitting in the pilot's seat of the prison tanker, Jupiter made contact with Hondo's ship, one which he piloted alone. "Hondo Ohnaka. It is time for you to return the favours that are owed." She spoke as her communication went through and Hondo's image appeared upon the holocaster, thinner and older looking than when she last saw him.

"By the stars…if it isn't my favourite pal! Hondo celebrates your arrival!" He declared, shocked and astounded to see Jupiter's face appear on his screen. He had assumed her dead along with the rest of the Jedi, however ever since Jedi had started to crop up everywhere like weeds refusing to die, he had dared to have a tiny degree of hope that his old friend had survived. He would never admit it, but he was largely fond of Jupiter, having known her ever since she was young. Or at least, when he tried to steal her kyber crystal from her.

"It is good to see you too, Hondo. It has been a long time." Jupiter agreed, inclining her head to him with a smile. "Why don't you dock your ship against mine and we can talk, it would be good to see you properly once more."

"Yes, yes, Hondo will do that. I have a special drink of something meant for special occasions, let us open up a bottle in celebration of your return!" He insisted, laughing as his holoform disappeared. Jupiter knew to tread carefully, however she did not believe that Hondo would betray her just yet. He would assume that she had come to find him with a business proposition, therefore he would wait to see what it was she had to say, and then either help her with what she needed and then sell her out to the Empire, or simply would sell her out from the start if the proposition was not beneficial enough to him. Words were the weapon she would use with Hondo, bartering and bargaining were his key tools.

The two ships docked together, linking with a passage and Jupiter boarded his ship, being greeting rather warmly by Hondo who spread his arms wide and immediately pulled her into a crushing hug. "Jupiter, you have grown old! Look at you, not a little girl anymore, are you? Where have all the years gone, I wonder?" He said to her, filling his rather empty ship with his idle chatter as he led her to his cabin to have that drink. "I said to myself, I said, Hondo! There is no chance in the galaxy that our favourite Jupiter is gone. She will return!" He laughed again, taking a seat and quickly offering one to Hondo. "Sit! Sit, sit, have a drink, you must be thirsty after such a long journey, running from the Empire all these years. It is good to relax and have a hearty drink from time to time." He continued to babble, pouring Jupiter a drink which she gratefully accepted.

"My thanks, old friend." She saluted him, giving a soft smile before downing her drink in one. It was strong stuff, however Jupiter's tolerance had improved greatly over the years, so she knew she would be alright for a few glasses.

"Another it is then! My, you have changed so much, my friend. Last I saw of you, you were still newly anointed master in the Jedi ranks. Tell me, how many of you survived? Where did you go into hiding? I want to know everything!" He insisted, downing his drink and pouring another for the both of them before kicking up his feet and waiting to hear what Jupiter had to say.

"It was a long time ago now, but it is still fresh." She admitted, sipping at her drink this time, nursing it carefully. "After the attack on the temple, we all scattered, however one by one I could sense the others being killed across the galaxy. No matter how far they ran, or how well they hid themselves, the Empire eventually found them. I knew I could not stop running, so I have been on the move ever since then. As far as I am aware, I am the last of my kind." Jupiter said, not telling the whole truth as she knew Hondo could not be trusted with such valuable information as the location of the only surviving Jedi Masters and padawans.

"Incredible. I knew you would have made a good pirate. There is room on my crew should you wish to reconsider your career, it is never too late." He offered however Jupiter politely declined, sipping her drink again before putting it down, a serious expression touching her features and Hondo immediately understood that she was here on business, not a social call. "Ah, you need something of Hondo, correct?"

"I need your help." Jupiter informed him, her voice quiet but stern, her eyes never once shifting from Hondo's to keep a close eye on his facial expressions, waiting for him to betray something to her. "I am in need of a medical station, like the ones used during the clone wars, however nothing of that scale. I know that there were smaller medical stations in orbit of planets and moons during the wars, I am looking for one of those."

"Hm…what you are looking for is pricey…and not very easy to get a hold of. Most have either been reassigned, decommissioned or destroyed after the fall of the Republic. Finding one…it will not be easy." He drew out pointedly, insinuating that it would be costly and very difficult to find one, however Jupiter knew that for Hondo, it would not be a problem. If there was something of value anywhere out in the galaxy, he knew of a way to get it.

"I am certain that for someone of your particular talents, Hondo, acquiring one shall not be difficult. After all, you still owe me two favours, it would be dishonourable of you to go back on your word and not help me now. All I ask is that you locate one for me, I shall do the rest. Can you do that for me, Hondo? Please?" She questioned, reaching out for her drink and draining the rest away. Hondo considered a moment, fingers stroking his face before finally, he grabbed his drink, swallowed it in one and then slammed his glass on the table.

"Done. I shall help you, my old friend. People like us must stick together in these difficult times, yes?" Jupiter smiled, glad that Hondo was now on board. "I will find you what you need, you have my solemn word!" Nodding her head, Jupiter rose to her feet, reaching out to place her hand on Hondo's shoulder as he continued babbling utter nonsense, going on about the old times however when he felt Jupiter's warm hand upon his shoulder, he stopped and blinked.

"It is good to see you again, Hondo. I know that we have had our differences, but I do not consider you my enemy. You are a good friend, if a rather shifty one of questionable character." She told him sincerely, making Hondo's jaw drop slightly. "You have been lonely all this time, I can sense it, but there is no need anymore. The life of a pirate may be all that you know, but there are other ways to live and people who need help out there. Perhaps it is time to leave the past in the past, as I have." She counselled him, giving his shoulder and affectionate squeeze before leaving him to think. "I am not difficult to contact, when you have the information, just use this frequency." With that, she left him to ponder, returning to her own ship where she detached from his then moved on, finding somewhere to settle for a time.

She found an asteroid field where she settled the prisoner bunker onto the large rock face of one of the asteroids, shutting down most systems to save power before going down into the hold. Master Luminara had been returned to Typhon where they had held a ceremony for her, Jupiter presiding over the funeral in Master Yoda's place, where finally Luminara Unduli was placed to rest among her own kind, the Force now pacified. All that remained were those she took from the prison, all of them clone troopers that had been designated too dangerous to be kept alive but too critical to kill. After some research, Jupiter found that Keyes had been shot down at the temple but then stunned at the last second, whereby he was then placed in incarceration ever since. His wounds had healed but he had not aged a day, and neither had the others. Eagle Eye, Captain Ray, even Commander Cody had been put under simply for serving under Obi-Wan.

"It won't be long now." Jupiter promised them all softly. "Once we have the medical station, I will be able to bring you all back. Just wait a little longer." Brushing her hand against Keyes's pod, Jupiter exhaled before leaving them all in peace. Time was running out, however she was certain that she would be able to bring them safely out of stasis and return them to their former selves. After running a scan of the area and assuring herself that it was safe to move, Jupiter jumped to lightspace, her next task already in mind.


	12. Chapter 12

Alderaan was always beautiful, however each year Jupiter returned, it seemed to be even lovelier than before. On this special day, Jupiter walked silently through the halls, passing droids and people but none glanced her way, no more than a soft breeze as she made her way upwards to a specific room. Leia had turned fifteen today and, just as Jupiter promised every year, she had returned on this special day just to see her. There was no need to knock, Jupiter entered quietly to find Leia standing upon her balcony, dressed in a pure white dress with her hair loose around her shoulders.

"Hello my starlight." Immediately Leia's body jolted, standing upright and spinning around to see Jupiter standing there exactly as she did every year on her birthday with the same greeting. It had fast become Leia's favourite part of this day, seeing her favourite auntie and godmother once more.

"Auntie!" Leia beamed breathlessly, smiling as she hurriedly came forwards and embraced Jupiter close, her arms winding around Jupiter who returned the embrace, placing her chin on top of Leia's head. She had grown once more, she was almost up to Jupiter's shoulders. "I have missed you, I'm glad you came, so much has happened with the Resistance that I cannot even fathom where to begin." Leia said to her, taking Jupiter's hand and pulling her towards the table where she had tea and food already prepared for her arrival.

"My, you have been a busy bee of late my starlight." Jupiter chuckled, brushing her hand down Leia's cheek as the young princess smiled, her eyes deep and intelligent, the same eyes as her mother's. Padme would be so proud to see her daughter now, doing good for the oppressed people and fighting against tyranny, if only she could see her children now, she would be overcome with gladness. "But first, it is your birthday, so let us focus on you before we consider matters outside this room. Here you are, my precious starlight, happy birthday." Jupiter chuckled, reaching into her robe and drawing out the gift that she had purchased for Leia who graciously accepted.

"Thank you auntie." She said with a smile before turning the small box over, stroking the velvet before opening it up. Within lay a crystal of deep amber which throbbed with light and warmth, immediately making Leia's widen as she looked down at the beautiful but curious gift.

"This crystal was harvested from the planet which I used to tell you stories about, Leia. Tepe'Le. The planet of the Fair. I returned there and they allowed me to bring this to you. It will keep away all nightmares and remind you of happy memories and good feelings." Jupiter explained, reaching out and lifting the crystal out of its box and placed it into Leia's hand where she immediately felt its warmth travelling up her arm, filling her with a peace and gentle happiness that quelled all concerns that lay in the forefront of her mind. "I know that you have had trouble sleeping, so sleep with it next to you and you shall rest easy, my starlight."

"Thank you auntie, this means a great to me, especially as it is a gift from you." Leia said before switching seats so that she could sit beside her auntie, leaning against her and enjoying the sensation of being wrapped up in Jupiter's arms as she stroked the smooth stokes of the crystal. A memory came to her, one that was dark but filled with warmth so she was not afraid, but she could hear a distant voice speaking to her, bringing her comfort and reassurance as she nestled against someone next to her. The memory confused her, however she did not question it. Perhaps it was a memory from long ago where she was still a baby being held by her parents. "Auntie…tell me about my real parents again. I would like to hear more stories about them."

Jupiter chuckled, knowing too many stories to even know which ones she had told and those she hadn't. Bail Organa and his wife had long since told Leia that she was adopted, so she knew that they were not her real parents, however at the time it had been a shock and Leia had run away for some time. That was the one instance where Jupiter had returned to her early, having sensed that Leia was in trouble. She had found Leia on a distant moon, unable to leave due to her ship failing. Jupiter had consoled her and guided her to acceptance before returning her home, where Leia took into stride the truth and moved on with her life. "I shall tell you about the time your mother was captured by the Separatist general Greivous and your father had to go and rescue her. It makes me chuckle whenever I think of it."

Shifting into a more comfortable position, Leia lay against Jupiter who stroked her hair, telling her stories about her parents without revealing their true identities. Leia understood why their identities were secret and she did not question her godmother as she also knew that if there was a reason for her godmother to keep a secret it would be for a good reason. Besides, Jupiter had vowed to tell her everything when there was peace in the galaxy, which only meant Leia had to fight harder to achieve it. "Tell me more about my mother. What was she like?" Leia's voice was sleepy but Jupiter obliged her, continuing to stroke her hair.

"She was…an outstanding woman. Powerful in ways that no one else could contend with her. Her voice carried respect and people adored her for her kindness and compassion. Not only that, she was very beautiful. You have her eyes, you know." Jupiter went on and on, describing both Padme and Anakin to her, telling her all about her father when he was a young boy and they continued to talk until long after the sun had set, enjoying their time together as they knew it was limited, and therefore precious.

As Jupiter stroked Leia's hair, she thought of Luke, far away from them both. As she did every year on this day, she had sent Roo with a delivery for his uncle and aunt, flying over the moisture farm and dropping it down where Lars was waiting for it to arrive as he knew it would. This year they had been sent enough spare parts to fix up most of their droids and appliances, including food provisions, some brand new clothes and of course, Luke's gift. This time he came running out, expecting it to come as well. "Is it here? Did it come?" He called out, rushing from the house where his aunt followed after him, chuckling with amusement as Luke excitedly ran to his uncle.

"Of course it's here, never fails to come." Lars answered him, letting Luke inspect the contents, searching for his gift and letter from his godmother. He never understood why his godmother never came to see him, but his guardians would simply tell him it's not their business to ask questions. Finally he saw it, the letter addressed to him and the gift it was attached to so he hastily grabbed it, gave a quick grin then ran off to sit on the dune and open it in private, a ritual he had become accustomed to. First he looked at the letter with his name on it before ripping it open, hastily wanting to read it's contents.

 _To my sunbeam._

 _Fifteen years ago to the day I watched you come into this life, may your days be peaceful and carefree, the life of a child is always precious, but to me you are more precious than all the stars in the sky. Happy birthday, Luke, one day we shall meet, I promise._

 _With all my love  
…_

It was never signed, however it meant more to Luke than anyone knew. He had more family out there, watching over him like a guardian angel. Because of his godmother, he had been able to go to school and receive a proper education with the funds that his mysterious relative sent them, as well as all the spare parts and provisions that came to help maintain the farm so that his uncle never had to sell or get loans from the crooks in town. It was not an easy life, but they managed and every year on this day, Luke was able to look forward to something. Tucking the letter into his pocket to add to all the others that he kept, he then turned to his gift.

A long box with a significant weight to it lay in his lap. With great anticipation, Luke ripped off the lid and pushed away the wrapping to reveal a beautiful telescope of brass. Grinning from ear to ear he carefully lifted it up, weighing it in his hands before turning it towards the moon, stretching it out so that he could see far into the night sky and distance, scanning the horizon before slowly turning the end dial which allowed him to zoom in even further. As his eye washed over the distant dunes, he suddenly stopped, frowning as he spotted a lone figure all the way out in the desert on their own.

Frowning, Luke tried to focus in on the figure itself, however their large hooded cloak kept their face obscured, however Luke could guess who it was. Old Ben lived all the way out in the desert away from everyone else, so he suspected it must be him. It was strange, it felt almost as if Ben was looking right at him, but that couldn't be, right? After all he was so far away, it must just be Luke's imagination. All the same, as Luke looked back, the figure was gone from sight, leaving the newly turned fifteen year old boy in a slight stupor until finally he pushed it to the back of his mind, turning to climb up higher and gaze out into the wide open space around him with his new gift.

He stayed out for as long as he was able until his aunt called him back inside to get ready for bed after a long day. Even though it was his birthday, it did not exempt him from his chores so Luke slid down from his perch and entered the hut, smiling at his guardians. "Guess my mysterious godmother came through again, when will I get to meet her?" He asked for the hundredth time that week, making Lars sigh slightly in weariness.

"Your godmother has her reasons. When the time is right, she'll come for you Luke, you can be sure of that." His uncle assured him as his aunt smilingly stroked back his hair.

"Get some rest now, it's an early start tomorrow with those generators." She told him softly, giving his cheek a quick peck as he nodded. "Happy birthday Luke, it's not everyday a young man turns fifteen. Soon you'll be too tall to fit down here." Teasing him gently she ushered him to bed, Luke wishing them both goodnight before retreating to his room. Taking his telescope he placed it upon his desk where fourteen other gifts were neatly arranged around it. He'd kept them all, as well as the letters that came with them, the latest he now tucked away into a soft leather pouch along with the rest.

It felt strange to have such a caring relative but to have never met them. Luke was certain that they would be able to meet someday, as he was also certain that this enigmatic figure knew about his real parents as well, his aunt and uncle had hinted about it but never actually given anything away. It was quite frustrating sometimes, however when he felt himself beginning to become controlled by those frustrations and anger, a calming presence always washed over him, as if someone had wrapped their arms around him and brought a familiar warmth with them.

Luke held these thoughts in his head as he went to sleep, nestled close in his bunk, however as his mind began to darken into the world of dreams, he became aware of a presence in the room. He was asleep, he knew he was, as when he opened his eyes he was no longer in his room but in a land of grass and waterfalls, the roaring sound filling his ears along with sweet birdsong. Initially he was confused, however as he tried to turn around, a light shone behind him and he found himself unable to look at them properly.

They're glistening white form distorted their features, however Luke was able to identify a soft lipped smile with a single scar on the upper right hand. That aura...it felt so familiar, like the warmth of the sand underneath his feet or the comfort of his blankets that he wrapped himself in every night. Not only that, there seemed to be a very distinctiveness about them, the way they smiled at him Luke was certain that they knew he was. A hand reached out and caressed his face with such tenderness and love that Luke could only stare wide eyed up at them as they stood directly in front of him, only their lips visible under the glowing white hood.

 _"Hello my sunbeam."_ The voice whispered and immediately Luke's eyes widened further, his jaw dropping. He knew that voice, in the dark crevasse of his mind he felt a sharp pang of recognition as the soft echoes rattled his mind. _"My sweet Luke…patience…you must have patience…"_ With their loving words and comforting embrace, Luke found himself swimming in a land of pleasant dreams, carried by the soft air of their arms until he felt like he was floating in an ocean of stars and gleaming planets all surrounding him.


	13. Chapter 13

Opening her eyes Jupiter smiled. She had been practicing such a technique for some time now and had only recently perfected it. The compulsion of the Force onto another being even when they were many light years away. To Luke it would have felt like a dream, but to Jupiter it was as real as if she had been there in person. It was the only way she could see and speak to him for a very short amount of time without being discovered, as it required a very strong control over the Force to commit to such a technique. If the Sith sensed her, then she would be in danger, however a brief few moments every few years were of no consequence, she simply wished she were able to use it to see Obi-Wan.

It pained her every thought that entered her head about Obi-Wan and their old life together. The man she loved was gone and she knew in her heart of hearts that she would not be seeing him again in this life. Though the Force would bind them eternally together, the lack of a physical connection was difficult to bear. All the same, Jupiter could not allow herself to become weak and break their vow to one another. He was there to protect Luke and Jupiter refused to compromise them. If the Empire ever found them, they would both die.

Shaking her head, Jupiter forced herself to dispel all thoughts of Obi-Wan Kenobi from her mind, focusing on her task at hand. Hondo had contacted her to inform her of an abandoned medical centre on one of the old Republican bases, giving her the coordinates but also warning her of the fact that the wildlife there would be less than hospitable. "Hondo, I'm coming up to the coordinates now. I hope you are right about this place, otherwise we shall both be sorely disappointed." Jupiter said to him through their comm. link, though Hondo's optimistic voice replied rather insistently.

"Has Hondo ever let you down before my favourite friend?" Electing not to answer such a question, Jupiter exited hyperspace and came up upon the planet, reading her scanners carefully before heading down with her commandeered prison bunker. Her scanners were not picking up any civilisation upon the planet but there was a heavy indication of plants and wild creatures, possibly the ones Hondo warned her of. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

"It is rather picturesque." Jupiter agreed. "Descending now, I do not read your ship's signature Hondo, are you not meeting me here?" She questioned, however she suspected that she already knew the answer.

"Ah…about that…it appears that some other business has cropped up that I have to take care of. My deepest apologies, my friend." He said quickly but Jupiter was all too wise to the game that he was playing. Shaking her head with a sigh, Jupiter gave her farewell before heading down to the medical base. Of course the moment she landed she could sense the people lying in wait for her, Empire troops and some heavy artillery, however she remained unfazed. The medical droids she had purchased were already tending to their patients, chattering and babbling to one another in gibberish, however as Jupiter swept past them to exit the ship, they all went silent, blinking at her curiously and the rather ominous air she carried about her.

With her hood drawn Jupiter already had her hands poised and ready to move, hidden under her long sleeves as she slowly made her way off the ship and out into the open. Without even lifting her head to look she could sense the troops lining the top of the building and the rocks, locking down on her position as she stopped, tallying up the number of men and their positions until she had it all logged into her mind. Her assumption that Hondo would sell her out was correct and they had brought a rather sizeable force with them, as well as one of those Inquisitors that she had encountered with Ezra, however in all honesty, Jupiter was a little disappointed. Was this all they had determined would be required to capture her? If anything, she was offended. Perhaps Hondo had not given them her name, merely sold out the location for money. It did not surprise her and neither did it particularly bother her, he was pirate through and through.

"Hm." Her lips curled up in amusement, turning her head slowly to eyeball the Inquisitor who stepped out from the shadows of the base, walking calmly towards her. It was neither of the ones she had faced before, however it was another male with a leanly muscled body, face covered in a mask.

"Jedi Knight, prepare to face your demise." He growled darkly, flicking out the rotational blades of his lightsaber. Immediately Jupiter was scrutinising the weapon, noting down its flaws and poor workmanship as well as the huge inconveniences of wielding such a weapon. Honestly, they were such amateurs. Electing to say nothing, Jupiter merely remained silent and still, waiting for him to take the first move. Irate that his prey was not responding, the Inquisitor rushed at Jupiter with a snarl, slicing his weapon down as it began to spiral however Jupiter expertly stepped to the side with a quick movement before cracking her hand down upon his back, winding him effectively however by this point, the soldiers had all moved out from their positions and open fired, attempting to box Jupiter in. "Cease fire you imbeciles! Do you want to catch me in the crossfire?" The Inquisitor demanded, however Jupiter was already moving, dancing and spiralling away from every blaster bolt, moving with the agility of a much younger version of herself as if she were still a teen.

With nothing to lose Jupiter pulled out a smoke bomb from within her folds, pulling the pin and allowing it to spiral on the ground, quickly causing a large billowing plume of white that shielded her from view and forcing the storm troopers to cease fire, unable to locate their target in the smog. "Agh!" With great disgust the Inquisitor attempted to seek out his opponent however Jupiter did not allow him time to recover. Sweeping out his feet from underneath him she Force slammed him into the ground, cracking one of his ribs before she sent him flying away out of the smog, yelling until he crashed into the hard rock of the cliff face, jolting with shock before dropping uselessly to the ground.

What in the galaxy had just happened? That Jedi was far too quick for him, it was unreal! Blinking away his concussion and clutching his broken rib, the Inquisitor managed to turn onto his front and look up into the haze, blinking away the blur and gradually beginning to hear the screams of his men. This Jedi…they were dragging in his men a fistful at a time and with a bright flash of purple their screams were silenced. The deep whir of movement the blade made rang strongly in the Inquisitor's mind, however upon seeing the flash of bright purple, fear immediately coursed through him. Purple…only one Jedi Knight carried that blade. It cannot be…it was said that that Master died in the Great Purge!

Knowing full well that he was out of his depth, the Inquisitor stumbled to his feet the pure terror kept him upright, stumbling towards his ship and yelling for his soldiers to get him out of here and back to the main star destroyer in order to return to Coruscant. The Emperor needed to know of this Jedi…he was too dangerous to be allowed to live but it would require more than just himself to deal with him. In fact, it was quite possible that only one person alive could deal with that Master Jedi. The one who had led the Purge himself, one who had killed hundreds of Jedi with his own two hands. He would go back to report, however the Emperor would not be pleased if he returned without the Jedi, so firstly, he needed to gather reinforcements.

Jupiter watched as the ship left orbit, carrying the Inquisitor away. This greatly limited her time allotment here, however with little choice but to remain, she began to bring out the incarceration tanks with the medical droids to hook them up to the mains system at the facility. It took some tinkering to get it back online, however after Roo came out of hiding from inside the ship, together they soon had it back online and the power generator whirring back to life. "Good work Roo. Although you may not be much help in a fight, I can always rely on you for maintenance." She teased her droid friend gently, rubbing his head even as he bleeped indignantly at her. "It is the truth and you know it, my little friend." Chuckling she calculated how much time she had left. A few hours at most, not much more.

The tanks were already being hooked up to the generators, powering up the revival units in order to assess the medical data on her old friends. "Tell me." Her soft murmur drew one of the droids towards her who babbled in its mechanical language, the translation appearing on Jupiter's datapad in front of her even though her eyes were fixed upon Keyes. "I see, please continue with your work, time is not on our side." Stepping forwards Jupiter frowned with concern. Being incarcerated for so long was bound to have detrimental effects to their health, however according to diagnostics it was nothing that could not be fixed or even theoretically prevented if they were revived gradually and properly.

One of the other droids spoke to her, offering a few ideas of how best to revive the patients and also a time frame in which it was safest to do so. It would take too long. Empire forces will return in under three hours, she did not have such time to spare. "Search for life support pods. If we can transfer the patients to sustain their vitals then revival can continue on board the bunker. Please, also search for as many supplies and left over equipment still in working order and return them to the ship." Jupiter began to give her instructions, Roo rolling along behind her as she walked however when she stopped, he bumped into the back of her legs having not being paying attention to what she was doing. "Oof! Roo, what have we said about paying attention when moving?" Giving Roo a stern look as he whirred and beeped, she eventually chuckled with a shake of her head. "Never mind. I need you to look around for spare parts and useful items to take back with us. Cables, wiring, sockets, computer chips, maintenance supplies and those sort of things. The facility back home needs a little repairing, can you do that for me my little friend?"

Roo beeped a strong affirmative, his tone signifying a salute before rolling off to carry out his job whilst Jupiter oversaw all proceedings. Progress was steady but slow, reviving the patients who had been in stasis for fifteen years. Some were proving a little more problematic due to complications, however Jupiter was informed that they would be resolved in time. Meanwhile, one of the droids had managed to locate the bacta-tanks, ones that could be transported quite easily. "Alright, let us begin moving them. Please, be very gentle with them all." Jupiter cautioned, biting on her lip nervously as the exchanges were made.

Her good friends and old comrades had been defrosted, so to speak, but they were kept at an extremely cold temperature as to not shock the body too quickly, transferring them safely into the tanks in order to sustain them and place them on life support whilst slowly reviving them, activating their organs and bodily systems once more. "Keyes…" Watching as her closest friend was transferred over, her hand pressed against the glass as the greenish liquid welcomed him in, slowly beginning to return his systems to normal. "Alright. Begin the transfer immediately. Roo, we are out of time. We must leave." She called out to him, drawing him away from one of the storage cupboards where he emerged dragging a large crate of things behind him, making Jupiter smile affectionately. "Allow me to help you, my dear little friend."

Beeping back at her cheerfully, Jupiter helped him to move things across before beginning to count off the two dozen clone troops as they were reloaded onto the ship. However as the last few were being transferred, an overwhelming sense of dread took over and Jupiter instantly knew that time was up. The Inquisitor had returned with reinforcements and they were quickly descending down towards the medical facility. "Hurry!" With a quick shout she pushed the last few tanks and droids inside with the Force, roughly sliding them into place whilst refraining from knocking them against one another. "Roo!" With a wild cry of panic as the loud roar of starfighters came from above, Roo rushed onto the ship as Jupiter closed the ramp, racing to the cockpit and activating the ship, feeling it thrum unto life.

There was no speed or agility with this bunker, all that she had going was its durability due to its build. "Roo, I need the thrusters on maximum, we need to get out of here and fast." She ordered, switching seats to reach the buttons and dials in sequence. The ship lifted gradually off the ground, however as a missile struck the facility itself, the colossal boom and flash of fire sent Jupiter flying off to the side, almost tipping the ship but her hands immediately grabbed the controls and forced it level out, moving forwards as Roo placed the thrusters on full, giving them an initial burst of speed as the starfighters came gunning after them.

They took several hits and Jupiter grit her teeth, sensing that it would not be long until they breached the exterior. As Roo was panicking in the background, wailing and screeching, Jupiter kept her calm eyes focused forwards, weaving the ship in a serpentine motion to make it a little more difficult to target. "All we have to do is reach open space and then we can make the jump to hyperspace, little Roo, so do not be frightened." She said to him caringly, taking a slow breath as her grip tightened on the controls, feeling the ship shudder as they took another hit. One more and they could hit something vital. It appears all other options were out. "Take over Roo. Set coordinates for emergency lightspeed location, make the jump the moment you are clear." She ordered, switching control over to Roo who complained at having to take over in such a heated situation, however Jupiter was already changing her focus.

Closing her eyes Jupiter stretched out a hand, reaching out with her senses to feel the six starfighters that were following after them. One was in the lead so she pinpointed her focus on that one, the Force bringing a picture of clarity to mind until slowly, she began to move her fingers and hand, keeping a stern grip on her focus until finally, she managed to disengage its thrusters. Instantly the ship span out of control, the pilot yelling in confusion as it spiralled and crashed into another, the both of them crashing with a bright flash. Not pausing to celebrate, Jupiter continued. The next she forcefully flipped the wing over, sending its shot wide before spinning it around whilst continuing to engage its blasters, targeting the other ships instead and forcing them to scatter, all pilots now crying out in fear and confusion as the Inquisitor watched in pure amazement. Never before had he seen a Jedi use the Force in such a way.

As the prison bunker jumped into hyperspace, a quiet hush fell over the ship as everyone awaited with baited breath for the Inquisitor's reaction. For a moment he was too stunned to respond, however after a few moments of quiet deliberation he stepped forwards and made contact with the Emperor via holocom. It took a moment, however when the Emperor appeared seated and hooded in a dark visage, the Inquisitor immediately knelt to the ground. "My Lord, there has been a new development. The Jedi Knight…they have escaped." Immediately the displeasure and anger could be felt from the Emperor directly into the surroundings of the ship, making the air tingle with a bitter taste as its chilling bite nipped at your soul. "Please, forgive my incompetence."

"This is a most unfortunate development. Your incompetence should be the least of your concerns at this moment in time." The Emperor replied with a sinister tone, making the Inquisitor want to shiver and shrink away. "Were you at least able to identify this…Jedi?" The word seemed to be mere bile in the Emperor's mouth, lips turning downward in distaste.

"Not affirmatively, my lord, however it is unquestionable the nature of the blade the Jedi wielded. It is the blade used by the traitor Master Windu. Only he carried such a weapon of such distinct nature, it is undoubtedly him." The Inquisitor informed, however the Sith Lord was less than convinced. He glowered down at his ineffectual whelp of a servant before turning his head away.

"In that case, you had better leave this matter to more…experienced hand. Lord Vader shall continue to track this Jedi and will bring him to justice. Report back to your post and await further instruction, Inquisitor." The Emperor ordered before cutting the transmission. From the dark shadows of his office, the mechanical breaths of his most powerful and loyal follower sounded, almost as if he himself had melted into the shadow. "What is your opinion on this matter, my most loyal apprentice?" Stepping forwards, Darth Vader made himself visible to the naked eye, imposing and daunting with each step as his large black cape flared around him.

"It is no mistake, master, it is her." He responded, voice so different to how it used to be. The Sith Lord regarded his apprentice for a few moments, calculating this new threat with the utmost of care. "My sister is alive, just as I have suspected all this time. Only she would carry the blade of her former master, and it would only be her who would have gone after those ships and the prisoners whom had been incarcerated. Unfortunately the plan to use them as a trap was ineffective. She pre-empted us, my lord."

"This is…largely problematic…such a Jedi as her cannot be allowed to live. Who knows what traitorous plans she has concocted to take her revenge on us? Even you cannot allow yourself to become tempted by any appeal she might make, my apprentice." The Emperor warned, seeking to guard against the possibility of this slave pest returning his apprentice back to the light side. "She is your sister no longer, she has turned away from the love she once bore for you and you are no longer her brother. She must _die_."

"It will be done, my master." Lord Vader vowed, bowing in respect to his master before leaving to make the arrangements. As he walked, however, his fist clenched tightly. Jupiter, he had sensed that she was out there somewhere, still drawing breath. The irrefutable bond that they shared was too strong to break even after he had destroyed his former self. It was only a matter of time until he finally found her, and now his chance to kill her had finally arrived, to strike down that last link to a past that he now denied with all of his being. He was Darth Vader, apprentice to the most powerful Sith Lord in the galaxy and will one day take his place. This woman…his former sister…will _not_ take that chance away from him.


	14. Chapter 14

A bright glare of sunlight shone down from above, making it nigh on impossible to see without flinching away from the painful intensity. Instinctively a hand raised to shield his eyes but the movement was sluggish and weak, barely able to hold up his hand to cast a shadow over his face to recover from the sudden flash of light before him that had rushed forth and quelled the darkness away. First it was white, then it became intense orange as the sun took shape and everything around him began to fall into focus, the sharp ringing in his ears echoing into a dull silence as it formulated a whisper, soft and encouraging in its quietness.

"…eyes…Keyes…open your eyes Keyes…open…eyes…" That voice. He knew it. There was no mistaking such a voice, Keyes could identify it among the thousands without hesitation. It was a voice he thought he would never hear again yet it was calling to him, willing him back from a darkness that had surrounded him so completely, lulling him towards the light as the orange faded into a myriad of colours, starting with the broad blue sky that swallowed his entire vision even though it remained blurred and unfocused. Never had the colour blue been so appealing to him in the vastness of its reach, not a single cloud in the sky to blemish its presence. "That's it, slowly Keyes, come back to me."

"General…am I dreaming?" He managed to croak, however as his eyes began to focus onto the shape that stood over him, the blotted image sharpening to reveal familiar black hair, though it was now streaked with silver and grey from years of stress and aging. Her once young and fresh faced appearance was crested with the lines of smiles, rosy and rounded as her loving gaze filled his soul with warmth and returned him from the coldness that he had endured.

"No Keyes, you are here with me now. I came back for you." She murmured, reaching out her hand and brushing it down his face, stroking his cheek tenderly as she sat beside his support tank which she had opened upon being cleared by the medical droids. His eyes drifted into hers, pools of clear blue that made the sky become dim and dull with shame in comparison. "You are safe, we are safe now." Still confused and mind addled, Keyes settled for reaching up his hand and resting it against the general's, unable to look away from her. Slowly the memories of the horrors returned, causing him to stiffen in place at the terrible crimes and injustices that he had committed, the murder.

"General…the war…who won the war?" He questioned, still uncertain and confused about everything that had come to pass. Why was it the general looked so much older? Surely it had only been a few weeks at most between her leaving and her returning to rescue him?

"Oh Keyes, no one won the war. Both sides lost." She explained to him softly, still tracing her fingers down his face. "The Republic has fallen and in its place rules tyranny, corruption and deceit. The Sith Lord now controls the galaxy, we were all fooled by Palpatine and his pretences." Not wanting to overwhelm him, Jupiter smiled in order to sooth his concerns. "But we shall not worry about such things for the time being. You have been incarcerated for fifteen years, my old friend, you need time to adjust and recover." Feeling a little more in control, Keyes decided that he wanted to sit up.

Making to do so, Jupiter instantly moved to help him, a strong hand going to his back in order to support him as he grunted, blinking and shaking his head to sharpen his focus before looking around him. Everywhere there was wide open grass and blue skies, the breeze rolling over the hills to make each blade dance in a serene wave that rippled endlessly. "I wanted you to wake up to a peaceful place like this one, I thought it would be easier for you to process than instead of a medical wing or a strange ship." Jupiter explained to him quietly, remaining at his side as Keyes continued to stare.

Jupiter was hardly able to contain herself, the tears threatening to spill as Keyes maintained hold of her hand. His thumb brushed against the bracelet that he had given her, making him tear his gaze away from his surroundings to look down, recognising it immediately. There were many questions that he wanted to ask, answers that he needed to know, however Keyes pushed them all away as he returned his gaze to his one and only, the woman who he loved more than anything in this galaxy. She was smiling at him, eyes filled with relief and almost a lifetime of grief that was slowly shedding away with this one small joy among an endless infinity of despair. With his hand curled gently around her wrist, Keyes offered a small smile in return which almost shattered Jupiter's heart, a weak sob escaping her as she leaned herself against his chest and Keyes instinctively held her close.

"I don't understand what's happening, sir, or how I'm alive, but I'm glad that I get to see you again." He murmured quietly, pressing his eyes shut as one hand buried itself into her hair. "There's nothing more I could ever want than to be by your side once more." Jupiter chuckled quietly, the tears sliding down her cheeks as she pulled back, fingers cupping his face as their eyes met once more.

"Keyes, you may forget all formalities now. Please, I insist that you call me Jupiter. We have been friends for too long to know one another as anything else." She insisted, giving him her signature stern look before closing her eyes once more and bowing her head, allowing this emotion of pure relief and elation rush over her. The others would also be waking up soon, she had set them all out upon this hillside in order to let them awake to a tranquil place where they would not panic. Sure enough even as Keyes brushed away her tears, the tanks began to hiss as they opened from within, the others beginning to sit up and slowly rise to their feet as their minds returned to them.

Standing up, Jupiter gazed at them all, waiting for them to recognise her presence. Eagle Eye was the first to spot her as Keyes groaned, rubbing his head where he could feel a distant ache. "General! It's the general, General Jupiter!" He gaped, staggering on his feet slightly however upon hearing her name being called out, the others instinctively turned towards her with a mixture of expressions, though mostly it was shock that they felt.

"General! What's happened? Why are we here? Why can't I remember anything since…" Captain Ray trailed off as the memories slowly resurfaced, Jupiter remaining silent as she allowed them time to organise their thoughts.

"General, it's good to see you again." Commander Cody spoke, giving a formal salute and the moment the others were stable, they all immediately jumped into position and saluted her also, including Keyes. It was odd to see such a gesture that used to be so familiar to Jupiter, but now it was part of a very distant memory, something that she did not think that she would see ever again.

"At ease." Her melodic voice brought a collective calm and security to them all, instinctively trusting in her presence as she stepped towards them, greeting them all individually. "There is much that I must explain, so please, make yourselves comfortable and I shall reveal all. Brace yourselves, however, it is not fairy tale and there will be some things that will shock you." Her warning was still not enough to prepare some of them for the horrific story that Jupiter shared with them, explaining about the Sith and Palpatine's rise to complete power, however the news of the Jedi Order's complete extermination was the worst to bear. Cody gripped his head in shame, staring in the distance as he began to remember giving the order to shoot Obi-Wan Kenobi down. He betrayed his commanding officer, a crime that he shall never forgive himself for.

"So that's it? It's over just like that?" One of the clones demanded and immediately Jupiter's firm gaze fixed upon them, making them shrink back slightly as they realised quickly it was unwise to take such a tone with her.

"No, Ratchet, this is not how it ends." Jupiter said, her slow deliberation over her words drawing them in, losing focus of their surroundings until all they could see and hear was their last remaining general. "The fight continues on with every day that there is someone to oppose the darkness that dwells in this galaxy. I for one am not yet ready to surrender to such tyranny, quite frankly I refuse with the greatest of obstinacy, however this is not the reason that I retrieved you all from the clutches of the Empire." Gaze softening, Jupiter looked at each of them in turn. "You are now faced with a choice. I have taken the liberty of removing the chips that were implanted into you all, so you now entertain absolute and complete free will for yourselves. What you decide to do now, is a choice that you must all make."

"I will stand by your side, general…Jupiter…wherever you go I'm there." Keyes immediately responded and some of the others were fast to agree. Captain Ray and Eagle Eye were the first two with a few others nodding their head, however Jupiter lifted a hand to make them understand.

"Our paths may not remain joined together, my dear friends, there are tasks that I must complete that require solitude and distance from those that mean a great deal to me. Where I go, you can only follow part of the way. It is not like before, we are in a different war now and the stakes and rules have changed. I am no longer a general, merely Jupiter, though these days I call myself René Tan-Jinn." Keyes voiced the name quietly to himself under his breath. He rather liked the way it sounded and he believed that it suited the former general quite well, however she would always be Jupiter to him. No other name quite fit her the same.

"So…what do we do?" Ratchet pressed, wanting guidance and orders. He could understand orders, however this drastic change and not knowing who was supposed to lead them greatly confused him. It was against his programming as a clone to not be able to follow orders, though soon enough Jupiter had quelled all worries and fears with her understanding and patient words.

"There is a Resistance fighting against the oppression of the Empire, if it is your will then I can take you to the leaders so that you may continue in the profession that you know best, however it is also a possibility for you all to start your life anew. I can take you to new worlds, help you to find homes and work, live your lives in as much peace as you can find, perhaps even start families of your own." She suggested, her lips curving upwards in a smile. "The Clone Wars are over, you have all served with honour and dignity until the very end, now you must choose your next step." There was a collective silence, minds thinking carefully over the option and possible opportunities that awaited them.

"I wish to fight." Cody announced, standing up with clenched fists as everyone turned to look at him. "Those poor excuses for soldiers are a disgrace to the memory of the former Grand Army of the Republic, and soldiering is all that I know. I remember before they put me under, those tin cans can't even shoot a blaster properly. It's a humiliation that I will put a stop to." Standing up tall with pride, Jupiter slowly rose to her feet to look Cody in the eye. "I got things I have to atone for, let me fight to gain back the honour I lost. I can be of help to the Resistance, let me prove myself to be a worthy soldier…and prove that clones are the _only_ effective soldiers that this galaxy ever needed."

"I agree, it's worse than droids. Those cheap imitations are an insult to our memory as soldiers. Give me a blaster, I'll shoot whatever needs shooting because that's what I was born to do." Ratchet said, standing up in agreement. One by one they all rose to their feet, standing to attention and in perfect formation as Jupiter gazed at them all. Last to stand was Keyes, however his eyes fixed squarely on Jupiter as her eyes shifted to meet his, the two of them sharing a quiet understanding between them before finally, she nodded.

"It was my greatest honour to fight alongside you all, I believe that had we not been betrayed, the war would have been won." She said softly before stepping forwards, reaching out towards them all. "Welcome home."


	15. Chapter 15

With Cody and Ratchet piloting the prison bunker, Jupiter was free to sit with Keyes in a private chamber and tell him everything that had happened since they had parted ways, how she had searched for years to find him when she realised that she could sense his life force once more. Jupiter was convinced that Keyes had in fact died but had been revived either through the will of the Force or by the Emperor deciding that he was too useful to allow to die. Keyes agreed with a tone of disgust. He listened to how she had hidden herself away, keeping under the radar of the Empire and searched for other survivors and struck out whenever she could, freeing prisoners, preventing the annihilation of entire species and races, in fact Keyes was shocked when he heard that Jupiter had had to relocate the entire Gungan population when the Emperor intended to have them all wiped out.

The only reason the Gungans had listened to her in the first place was because they remembered her from the war, speaking on their behalf during peace negotiations and also, Jar-Jar had spoken for her. It had been a sad parting between friends, leaving Jupiter feel even more alone than before, but in order to save them, she had to let them go. She had never told anyone their location, that secret would die with her until it was safe for them to return to the galaxy as a people once more. "I am sorry, sir, my place is at your side, I should have been there with you." Keyes apologised, earning a sad smile from Jupiter as she kept her hand against his shoulder, needing constant reassurance that she was not dreaming and that her closest companion and friend truly was alive once more.

"It was not meant to happen that way, Keyes. The Force guides us all, let us just be thankful that it meant for us to find one another again." She said to him before leaning against him, allowing herself to let go for a brief moment. "I truly missed you." Keyes could not help but hold her close against him, submerging himself in her warmth as his mind attempted to tackle the truth. Fifteen years she had spent on her own without him, he felt like a failure even though rationally he knew that it could not have ended any other way. He was here now and that is all that mattered.

"Sir…you know that nothing changes." Keyes began, fist clenching against his leg as he summoned the courage to speak. "What I said before, I meant every word."

"I know you did Keyes, I know that." Jupiter answered back, lifting her head to look at him directly. "I could feel it clearly, there was no mistaking it." Her hand curled around the back of his head, her touch tender and always gentle as she slowly brought his forehead down to meet hers. "Although I may not be able to give you what it is that you desire, I hope that you know that you do have my unconditional love, Keyes." They were not the words that he wanted to hear, however they strangely brought comfort to him. Reassurance, security, confirmation even of the thoughts that dwelled in his depths of his mind.

"I know. I've always known. But still, it feels good to say it out loud again. Though this time, I don't have the overwhelming desire to kill you whilst saying it." He muttered bluntly though it earned a chuckle from Jupiter as she continued to press her brow to his, sharing in their comfort and closeness after fifteen years of separation.

"Agreed." They remained close to one another for the remainder of the flight, breaking apart only when Captain Ray came to find them and inform Jupiter that they had found the rebel fleet. "Make contact with Commander Sato, I shall receive him and explain." Jupiter directed, effortlessly falling back into familiar habits as she rose to her feet and strode forwards, pausing at the door to toss back a quick smile and a tilt of her head, indicating that Keyes should follow, so he did. Jupiter was quick to explain her presence there and Sato was willing to have them all come aboard, though Rex was particularly looking forward to seeing his old comrades again.

The moment they entered the boarding room, Rex approached with a deep bellied laugh, hands on his waist as he looked across at everyone. "By the stars, none of you have barely aged a day! You lucky sods, you've got all this to look forward to in a couple of years, believe me." Rex laughed, clapping several of the men on the back as they stood to attention and saluted, but Rex allowed them to stand at ease, greeting them each individually, stopping before Cody. "Commander Cody, it's been some time."

"Captain Rex." Cody answered, giving Rex a thorough observation before arching an eyebrow. "You got fat." There was a brief silence before they both laughed once more, drawing one another into a firm embrace until finally, Rex reached Keyes. There was a certain tenseness in the air that Jupiter immediately registered, glancing their way as Keyes remained standing to attention, not looking Rex directly in the eye.

"Sir." He greeted formally, however Rex remained relaxed, arms folded across his chest.

"Relax son, the past is the past, there's no reason to be at war with one another anymore when we've got plenty out there to take care of. Come on, we're brothers, even though I'm now fifteen years older than you are." Rex teased, holding out his hand and Keyes frowned stiffly, uncertain for a few moments before finally he relaxed and nodded his head in agreement, accepting Rex's hand and the two of them clasped one another's arms, gripping on tightly before Rex looked across to Jupiter. "It's good to see you again too, told you not to be a stranger."

"You know me better than to think that I would ever stay away." Jupiter answered, hood raised to hide her face however she stepped forwards and kissed Rex's cheek quickly, their hushed introductions being rushed as not to keep Sato waiting as he was on his way and would be there any moment. "I missed Ahsoka again, didn't I?" Her voice was despondent as Rex nodded his head.

"She left only a couple of hours ago and has gone off radio, there's no way of contacting her until she returns." Nodding her head in understanding, Jupiter looked across to Sato as he entered the room, the clones immediately saluting and standing to attention once more with a stomp of their feet, a sound Jupiter had long since forgotten until now. It was good to be around familiar faces once more and she was eternally grateful to have brought them back, however her time with them was short and fast running out. Sato was more than happy to accept the help of the revived clones after both Jupiter and Rex recommending them with Jupiter's assurance that they could be trusted.

In all honesty he needed the manpower and more than that, he needed good soldiers who were willing to train others and as it was always said, there is no soldier better than a cloned one, programmed to be the perfect combatant. Rex was given command over them and with them now being debriefed on the situation and the next mission, Jupiter knew that it was time for her to leave. Her part in this chapter was over with nothing more to be done, so she quietly slipped away, unnoticed by all except one. Keyes immediately recognised her missing presence, feeling a slight chill to the room so he quickly excused himself, Rex understandingly giving him permission to chase after Jupiter before she could leave.

Racing out into the hall Keyes found his way back to Jupiter's ship, catching her just before she entered the airlock. "Jupiter!" Surprised to hear him call out her name, Jupiter turned and looked back in alarm, quickly glancing around to see if anyone heard him however they were alone, no one there to even observe them from a distance. "My apologies, I didn't mean…I just…I couldn't face not seeing you off, sir." Understanding, Jupiter nodded her head.

"It is alright Keyes, this is not forever." She reassured him, turning back to walk to him. "We will see each other again, of that I am certain." Her fingers gripped his arms to console him as his eyes filled with uncertainty.

"How can you be certain? Have you seen it in our future? What happens to us?" Knowing that Keyes was still full of fear and darkness, Jupiter reached up and placed her hand over his eyes, compelling the light side of the Force over him to send a nostalgic wave of peace wash over him, calming his raging inner storm into a quiet ripple that spread further and further out upon his body.

"I do not need to be a Jedi Master in order to know these things, Keyes. Like you, sometimes I rely on gut instinct and it is telling me that you and I shall see one another again. I have lost so many people that I love already, many I will never be able to see again but for us, I will use every ounce of my strength to ensure that we will finally live out our days in peace and plenty. Perhaps you and I can find a quiet farm somewhere and we'll live there, tending our flocks and sitting by a warmth hearth in the winter." She suggested, giving him a dream to hold onto and cherish in their days spent apart. "The future is an ever changing thing, my sweet Keyes, so do not despair for a destiny that may not even come to be." Reaching up, Jupiter turned her lips towards his ear so that her voice echoed through him whilst the image of a serene farm swallowed his vision. "Some bonds were made to endure even the distance of the infinity of the universe, and even live on even after death has claimed back its offering. You and I have this bond, Keyes, so do not ever doubt its resilience. Trust in the Force, may it always be with you."

Spellbound into speechlessness Keyes remained perfectly still as Jupiter placed a lingering kiss upon his cheek, slowly removing her hand though his eyes remained closed as she pulled away, turning to return to her own ship. As the airlock doors closed, Keyes opened his eyes to look through the window to see her beautiful smile one more time, unable to look away until finally, she disappeared from sight. He could feel the vibration as the ships separated, feeling her being pulled further and further away from him however this time, there was no pain. Only peace. It quelled all concerns and dispelled any thoughts that clouded his mind. Their bond was unshakable, it had been proven time and time again, of this Keyes had no doubts at all and Jupiter had only reminded him of how powerful that connection was. She had come back for him, just like she always would. There was never a time that his general had let him down and Keyes knew that if Jupiter said that they would see one another again, then see one another they shall.

Feeling once again whole and renewed, Keyes turned back to face his new future, to fight for a new cause that would one day bring peace and stability back to the galaxy. He would give his dying breath to see such a future become a reality, and he would like nothing more than to see it come to pass whilst standing beside Jupiter, where he wanted to stand for the remainder of his life.


	16. Chapter 16

Darkness was swelling, distorting within the Force, making it difficult for Jupiter to concentrate in her meditation. All was quiet however voices whispered in her head, sounds that she knew from decades of experience, the thrum of a lightsaber, the cries of those in pain, voices of dear ones shouting in terror…Kanan…Caleb, Ezra…Ahsoka. They were all in danger, Jupiter could sense it. Meditation gave her little by means of discerning her premonition, however it were as if she could already feel someone calling out to her, begging for help. With so much at stake, Jupiter knew that she had to answer this compulsion, even though it was unwise to leave Typhon too often.

It had been several weeks since her return but the council were becoming concerned with the increasing amount of time that Jupiter was spending away from the planet, searching for answers and causing havoc for the Empire. They felt it drew unnecessary attention towards them but Jupiter was stubborn to the end and, she remained Grand Master, so there was little that they could do to sway her mind. "Master…must you really go?" Khalifa questioned as she stood beside Jupiter's ship, Roo already setting himself up in position ready to fly. "It is not safe out there."

"No Khalifa, it is not." Jupiter agreed as she pulled up her hood, securing her lightsabers to the bracers upon her wrists. "However, this concerns Ahsoka and I cannot sit back and ignore such a strong feeling that something is wrong. If Ahsoka is in danger, then I must go to her aid." At the mention of Khalifa's old friend, her eyes widened in shock, mouth dropping open as her now matured features appeared stunned.

"Ahsoka is alive?" She questioned, unable to believe her ears. "Even after all this time?"

"Yes Khalifa, she is alive. Now I must go to her and make sense of this premonition. We may be in hiding, however the Force is still a central part of our lives. When we are gifted with warnings and visions of the future, is important that we act wisely and with caution, but we must act all the same. Nothing good ever came from one who did nothing." Jupiter guided, reaching out to clasp Khalifa's shoulder securely. "Perhaps this time, I shall be able to bring her home." Still dumbstruck, Jupiter boarded her ship, the ramp closing behind her as Roo activated the controls, warming up the systems so that they were set to leave. "Thank you Roo, let us go find Ahsoka and see what trouble that youngling has got herself into this time." With a click and bleep of agreement, Jupiter took off into the skies, allowing the Force to guide her as she placed in a set of coordinates.

The coordinates were unfamiliar to her, however as Jupiter came upon the planet of Morthal, the intense sensation of danger and warning returned with a much more powerful force this time, sending cold shivers down her spine as the darkness pulsated like a cancerous growth in the back of her mind, trying to tempt her to its side but being a Jedi trained to walk on the bridge of both aspects of the Force, Jupiter effortlessly pushed it aside. "Do not be afraid my little companion, you will be in no danger here." Jupiter soother as Roo rattled, himself also sensing the danger of this planet as his systems supplied him with information. The home planet of the Sith, full of all things evil condensed into one space. It seemed to drain away your energy the closer you came to its surface until Jupiter pushed away its compelling, relying on her own strength to rise above the whispers and the temptations, flying down below the surface where she could feel a constant pulling against her chest, as if someone were calling out to her. She could _feel_ it so strongly, she knew Caleb and the others were here. He was reaching out for her. Jupiter could sense his confusion, the lost sensation that he was feeling, however this was nothing compared to the sorrow and despair that Ahsoka was feeling.

It was a familiar feeling, one that Jupiter had felt herself and, even as she landed her ship and descended from it, she could already sense that last figure who was also present upon this planet. Anakin. Anakin was here. Though, he was no longer the Anakin that Jupiter knew, in his place was a dark and twisted creature as vile and repulsive as a disease, something that Jupiter refused to recognise as her little brother. Even so, as she ascended to the top of the pyramid where catastrophic surges of power were escalating, her hand reached into her pocket to grip onto her single handkerchief. "Shmi, give me strength to face him. Please, stand with me." She whispered before finally, she pushed forwards.

Without raising a single hand, she compelled the Force to act upon her surroundings, seizing the vibrating temple of the Sith and gradually silenced it, casting an eerie echo of its collapsing around them. Ezra blinked in confusion even as the air rushed around them, making his hair brush against his sweaty brow, the holocron gripped tightly in one hand as his other arm helped support Kanan as they moved towards the ship, settling Kanan aboard before he turned and looked back, searching for this new source of power that seemed to almost freeze time itself.

Ahsoka stood before Anakin, staring in disbelief at the broken mask where she could see the face of her former master. He had spoken with that same voice she had heard him use to speak to her with such compassion, tenderness and affection. That voice had told her that she could not leave him and that she was not allowed to die, it was wrong and a painful stab in her heart as his golden orange eyes glowered at her with pure hatred. This was not her master, not the Anakin that she knew and loved as a father. Yet, even as she found herself hating him, she could not bring herself to abandon him. Her body simply refused to obey. "I won't leave you! Not this time." She declared, unable to notice the drastic change of her surroundings, the shift in the balance of the Force, the presence that she should have recognised instantly but her sole attention was focused entirely on Vader, whose gaze hardened further.

"Then you will _die._ " The blood red blade ignited, casting more unforgiving shadows upon him as Ahsoka answered with her own twin white blades, taking up her familiar stance even as Ezra cried out to her, however as he attempted to rush forwards, a strange barrier seemed to hold him back like an invisible force, not allowing him through. All around him the temple began to tremble again, reacting to the distortion of the balance as Ahsoka and Vader fought. They were each relentless, fighting with the intent to destroy the other, however as Ahsoka's determination and valour rapidly lost its will, Vader slashed her waist with his blade and Force pushed her away, beginning to choke the life from her as he lifted her off the ground. The pure pleasure of watching his old padawan struggle was endless to Vader, eyes narrowing further as his rage and anger escalated, blaming her for not being there when he needed her the most. She had _abandoned_ him, she therefore _deserved_ to die such a pitiful death. "So ends my former apprentice."

"Hello racer."

Silence.

Stillness.

A quietness never felt before fell upon all, shock flitting through them like electric wires as Jupiter gracefully and slowly glided forwards, hood pulled up over her face but as she walked, the tender breeze pulled it back to reveal her face, calm and tranquil with long hair falling over her shoulder. Vader was in shock, eyes widening as he took in the appearance of his long lost sister. So distracted and overcome, he released Ahsoka out of instinctual reaction, allowing her to drop to the ground where she continued to choke, struggling to breathe whilst Jupiter continued to approach. Ezra's eyes widened, staring as he pressed against the invisible barrier, watching as Jupiter walked directly towards Darth Vader without a single drop of fear in her body.

Finally able to breathe once more, Ahsoka managed to raise her head, bleary eyed and weakened, but still able to see Jupiter's face as she finally reached them. "Jupiter…you're alive…" She whispered. Jupiter wanted nothing more than to hold Ahsoka close and comfort her, however this moment was not the right time to do so, so as she past she stretched out her hand and brushed it against Ahsoka's fingers as she reached out to her, expressing a multitude of feelings, concerns and an infinity of comfort in the smallest of touches but she did not stop, not until she stood face to face with the former Anakin Skywalker. "You have grown again, my little brother." Her words shocked Ezra, staring in disbelief. Little brother? But that's crazy, there's just no way!

"Ezra, we have to leave now!" Kanan warned, standing at the edge of the ship and holding out his hand, trying to encourage Ezra to return so that they could escape.

"But Ahsoka and Jupiter are still in there! We have to help them!" Underneath the mask, Kanan smiled, collecting himself so that his voice was calm and reassuring, causing Ezra to turn back and face him in contemplation.

"Ezra, if Grand Master Jupiter is here, then we have nothing to fear. She can handle things from now on. Don't you remember what she said?" Kanan asked, still holding out his hand towards him. "If ever we needed her, she would come. Here she is, Ezra, let her protect us like she came here to do. Let's go home." Understanding that this was the truth, Ezra looked back just one last time, watching as Jupiter reached up her hand and placed it against Vader's mask, touching the exposed skin with eyes brimming with love and forgiveness. Knowing that their time was up, Ezra spun around and raced back onto the ship, praying and hoping that he would not regret this decision.

"You have grown so powerful, Anakin, but you achieved it in all the wrong ways." Jupiter murmured, maintaining focus between them so that Anakin did not notice Ahsoka slowly dragging herself further away from them, noticing that the core of the temple which Jupiter was supressing was becoming more vicious, lashing out and trying to burst free, its power growing by the second. "What become of you? Why could you not trust me to protect you, little Annie?" The shock that Vader felt began to wear off, eyes hardening once more as his focus returned.

"I have surpassed all others before me and shall continue to grow even more powerful. The first step in eliminating Skywalker's past shall be to annihilate first his sister…and then his apprentice!" Giving a roar of pure rage, Vader made to strike Jupiter down with a quick blow, however she was faster. Her hand flicked out and instantly his body froze in place, the Force trapping him into a locked position as Jupiter's eyes grew cold and distant.

"Do not forget, little Annie, that I remain your elder sister and once, when you were a man of courage and honour, I loved you dearly. Now you are nothing that I recognise, therefore I shall destroy you if I must." Knowing full well that Jupiter could strike him down in that moment, Vader began to fight back with all of his strength, attempting to break free of her control. With a push, Jupiter sent her opponent flying backwards, striking the ground with enough force to almost break his ribs, his only saving grace being his armour. "Ahsoka, stay down and stay back. Allow me to take over from here." Jupiter instructed as she drew forth a single blade, holding it in a reverse grip in her left hand, narrowing her gaze to focus on Vader as he picked himself up. Still recovering from her last bought with Vader, Ahsoka nodded her head, steadily recovering a safe distance away. Holding out her hand and shifting her stance, the blade slowly protruded from the hilt, shining brilliantly among the dimness of the temple that surrounded them. Vibrant and true, her orange lightsaber announced her true self with no regret nor intention of holding back.

Seeing that blade again probed at Vader's mind, threatening to bring back memories that he had thought burned from his mind. He must kill her quickly, he must kill them both before they become his undoing, they were weaknesses that he could not allow to let live. Rising back to his feet, Vader lifted up his red blade once more. Orange against red, the colours melding together to deepen and brighten one another, a conflicting contrast, a symbol of their inner battles that they had fought against the light and the dark since childhood. Now, it all came to this. There would be no going back from here, this was where it ended. Lifting her free hand, Jupiter beckoned with a single motion.

"Come." With a rush, Vader swung at her. Their movements were fast paced and aggressive, Jupiter using her forward style of attack to push Vader back into defending, whirling around and kicking off the ground to force him to swiftly change direction and block, the heat of her blade burning against his skin as she almost came into contact several times. Fifteen years had not gone to waste, there was a reason why Jupiter had been elected to become the Grand Master, a reason why she was considered the leader of the only surviving band of Jedi left in the entire galaxy. It was because she too, was _powerful_.

Vader could not understand how his older sister could have become such a strong user of the Force, according to his memory, she was only just deserving of the title of Master and only her tactician skills allowed her to maintain such a place on the Jedi Council, had his pride clouded his judgement? He was rapidly falling behind, barely able to land a strike at her yet everyone she swatted away like it were nothing, her eyes never once leaving his as her face remained as placid and empty as an undisturbed lake.

The temple rumbled, quaking around them and Ahsoka gasped, staring around her as it began to fall apart, Jupiter's hold now being released so that she may use the battlefield to her advantage. Jumping back she spun a full circle, hand reaching out to grasp a falling chunk of rock and flung it directly at Vader upon her rotating back to face him, forcing him to slash it in half in order to avoid being hit. Jupiter continued her assault, standing still as Vader continued to advance, slicing through every rock she threw his way until they were face to face once more. Time was running out, it was now or never. Jupiter knew she was strong, however Vader was just as strong in the Dark Side and he was channelling all of his rage into his attacks, growing stronger by the second. Drawing out this fight would not benefit her, as upon this planet, she was at a distinct disadvantage as the Force favoured Vader over her.

Blocking several attacks, Jupiter waited, counting in her head as her plan continued in action, breathing evenly as Vader continued to snarl, glowing amber eye staring at her directly until finally, her opening came. He swung high, attempting to cleave off her head so Jupiter ducked, spinning underneath him and lifting her lightsaber to block as she turned back to face him, her free hand rising to suddenly thrust upwards and, with all of her focus and strength being thrown into one last desperate assault, the pale green lightning sprung from her fingertips with a boom of sound, crackling loudly before striking Vader directly at close range.

His bellow of pain rung in Jupiter's ears, drowning out the sound of the crumbling temple as slowly, she rose to her feet and Vader fell to his knees, his own weapon flying from his hands as she stood above him. The suit he wore went haywire, sparking violently and flashing in warning until finally, most of its functions were shut down, leaving Vader heaving on his knees, struggling to breathe without his life support fully functioning. For a moment Jupiter observed, cold and calculated before the blade of her master, Master Windu, appeared in her other hand and she crossed them under Anakin's chin, looking down at him without feeling. He wheezed, slowly looking up at her.

"Do it…Jupe…finish…me…" Even as she looked down at him, helpless, Jupiter could not bring herself to kill the boy she loved from infancy, her brother, the only person who understood the level of pain that she carried from her past. They had suffered through endless trials together, shared the grief of lost loved ones, shouldered one another's burdens and carried one another across great lengths, kept one another warm during cold nights and laughed together in the face of death. There was nothing that they had not endured together, nothing that they had not experienced side by side. In her heart of hearts, she could not do it.

"No." Sheathing her blades, Jupiter looked at Anakin one last time. "I will not kill you, Annie, because I know who you are." Kneeling down, she reached out and clasped his face in her hands, looking directly at him with a smile that he had seen her wear a thousand times before. The smile reserved only for him, full of love and sisterly tenderness. "I know that you will bring balance to the Force, I know that you will in the end choose those you love over power. I know who you are, Anakin Skywalker, and I cannot kill you before you have completed your destiny." Daringly Jupiter reached forwards and kissed the cold mask, making Vader freeze and stare at her even as the pain in his body increased to almost unbearable levels. "I refuse to kill my beloved little brother, whom I shall be waiting to find once more at the very end. When you return to being my little racer once more, then my love shall once more be unconditional, but as you are now, you are not that little boy whom I protected back on that sandy planet of Tattooine and carried home to our mother, Shmi. When you find him again…then we can be together as we once was."

Drawing away from him, Jupiter released the last of her Force compulsion on her surroundings. Immediately the core exploded, a blast of sound and light shattering the world around them as Jupiter calmly walked away, allowing herself to be succumbed in the blast as she made her way towards Ahsoka, lightsabers still in hand as she turned her palms upwards and closed her eyes, allowing the pure power of the Sith temple to swarm around them like the rushing ocean released from being bound, feeling a momentary throb of pain before everything went white.

Above, circling the planet, Ezra watched in horror as the brightness blasted off the planet's surface, the sound even breaking through the silence of space. "No…no it can't be…where are they?!"

"Ezra…they're gone." Kanan murmured gently, reaching out in the darkness of his world to seek out his apprentice's shoulder, eventually finding it and pulled Ezra to his side as he began to cry, struggling to breathe as the pressure of reality crashed against him all at once. "There's nothing that we can do now, Ezra. It's over." Looking up, Kanan listened to the lasting crackle of sound, wishing that there was some way that he could have gone back and saved both Ahsoka and Master Jupiter, the last two people of his past life that he had a link to. Now, they were both gone because they had all underestimated the power of the Dark Side.

"It's done."


	17. Chapter 17

_"Jupiter…Jupiter…wake up dear one…open your eyes daughter, it is time to wake up." The voice was soft, loving and instinctively brought comfort to Jupiter as her eyes opened, awakening to find herself back in the wold of clear water upon which she stood, surrounded by the presence of her father. "You have done very well, dear one, we are all very proud of you." He spoke, causing Jupiter to tilt her head to the side as she finally found her voice._

 _"All?" As if in answer, several more presences joined that of her father, Qui-Gon. Turning around, Jupiter was greeting with the endless faces of those long since deceased, most she recognised, some she did not, but all of them she knew. Jedi. "Qui-Gon, papa…" She murmured, finally able to see his face as he smiled at her, standing right by her side as the others faced her, all shoulder to shoulder in an endless crowd with one particular figure standing in the front. Master Windu. "Master, I have missed you all this time, many times I wished I could seek your counsel and guidance." Jupiter murmured, throat tightening and her voice snagged slightly with emotion._

 _Mace Windu was not able to answer, but his usually stern façade had softened upon her words, nodding his head in understanding before bowing respectfully. Master Plo-Koon, Kit Fisto, Aayla Secura, Luminara, they were all here. Jupiter's eyes focused on Master Luminara, the two of them sharing a brief interlude of semantics and understanding. She was grateful that Jupiter had recovered her body, that she was finally about to rest in peace. Jupiter smiled softly, glancing up at Qui-Gon who had his arm around her, her smile deepening as he reached forwards and wordlessly kissed her forehead._

 _Feeling a tug upon her sleeve, Jupiter looked down to her side only to lose the breath in her lungs, heart giving a strong thud of emotion as Dhea looked up at her with smiling eyes, bright grin stretched across her face as her numerous tendrils quivered in happiness. Tears rose to Jupiter's eyes briefly before she blinked them away, kneeling down to face Dhea, finally able to connect to her through the Force after all this time of attempting but always ending up in failure. "Forgive me, Dhea, forgive me. You would have been a great Jedi had I not led you to your death." Jupiter whispered, however Dhea shook her head, still smiling before all at once, flung her arms around Jupiter, embracing her tightly and Jupiter quickly returned the embrace, standing back up with Dhea's small frame instinctively wrapping itself around her. "You are all here."_

 _"We have never left you, dear one. We stand as we always have, by your side through the Force. Our guidance and wisdom is still yours to seek, you need only ask." Qui-Gon murmured to her, placing an arm around her shoulders as everyone else moved forwards, beginning to surround Jupiter on all sides as she continued to hold onto Dhea, feeling a part of herself healing within her after almost a lifetime of it being torn apart. "But now is not your time, there is still more for you to accomplish, therefore you must return."_

 _"What if I am ready to die, father? I am weary of fighting, I have been fighting and struggling for survival since I could walk. I wish for peace, have I not earned a long rest from all wars and suffering that I have endured?" Jupiter murmured wearily, opening her eyes as Dhea pulled back to gaze at her. Without a word Dhea lifted her hand and placed a finger at the centre of Jupiter's brow and immediately Jupiter felt the complete wealth of peace and tranquillity fill her mind, soul and body._

 _"When the time is right, all you must do is simply close your eyes and let go. Become one with the Force, and you shall live on through it, always in peace and never again to suffer." Qui-Gon informed her lovingly, running his fingers through her hair. "Until then, trust your instincts, they will guide you and the Jedi to survival. Unless we survive, true balance will never be restored. That is your calling, Jupiter, my dear one, to pave the way for future generations, for the return of the Jedi to the galaxy." Nodding her head, Jupiter accepted her task, knowing that if was placed upon her shoulders then it would be for good reason. Windu stood in front of Jupiter, placing his hand upon her shoulders alongside Qui-Gon, reaching down to touch his forehead to hers, unable to speak but communing with her on a level that only they shared, the understanding that they developed echoing into the limbo of his afterlife. One by one the Jedi all placed their arms around Jupiter, stepping close with those behind placing their hands against those in front until Jupiter was surrounded by their warmth, soft whispers echoing in her mind as she clutched Dhea close to her chest, refusing to let go until finally, with a flash of light, Jupiter felt a spiralling sensation as she was pulled back down to the world below, where all at once her eyes opened with perfect clarity._


	18. Chapter 18

The ruins of the temple lay around them, however as Jupiter looked, she found herself surrounded in a shielded dome of the Force, keeping all from touching them, a stream of light shining above. The dome was large enough to even envelop Roo and the ship which he had flown up to the top of the pyramid upon seeing it collapsing, reaching Jupiter just as she had managed to grasp Ahsoka. She was holding her unconscious form in her arms, cradled against her chest just as Jupiter had been cradling Dhea. Ahsoka was injured but alive, that was all that mattered to Jupiter in that moment as she brushed her fingers down Ahsoka's face, making her stir and flinch before finally, she looked up.

"Jupiter? Is it really you, master?" She questioned, almost unable to believe her eyes, questioning whether or not she was even alive.

"Yes Ahsoka, it is me. I have come to take you home, where you can rest among your friends and family." Jupiter said to her as Ahsoka smiled weakly, relaxing against Jupiter as the two looked at one another, sharing the relief of surviving once more.

"We sure do have a knack of living through impossible odds, don't we master?" Chuckling at Ahsoka's intact sense of humour, Jupiter rose to her feet, lifting up Ahsoka in her arms to carry her to the ship where Roo was calling out to them insistently, demanding that they leave this dreadful planet at once and Jupiter could not agree more. Allowing Roo to handle the ship the moment they boarded, Jupiter healed Ahsoka's external injuries, however the fight against Darth Vader left her drained and mentally exhausted, her eyes blinking heavily as she lay back on the medical bed, unable to look away from Jupiter.

"You should get some rest, Ahsoka, you will need to gather your strength again." Dabbing at Ahsoka's sweaty and dusty face with a damp cloth to clean her up a little, Ahsoka could not help but smile fondly at the sensation, remembering Jupiter when she used to constantly clean up her face whenever it got dirty, no matter what kind of situation they were in. Sometimes even in the middle of a battle. She had missed this.

"I'm afraid to go to sleep." Ahsoka murmured softly, lips barely moving. "I'm afraid that if I go to sleep, then I'll either never wake up, or I'll wake up and find this is all a dream, and I'll go back to that dumpster in some backstreet alley where I'll be hiding from the Empire, always on the run, always alone, terrified…I don't want to go to sleep, and wake up with you gone, Jupiter." Understanding her anxiety, Jupiter pulled up a chair and sat next to Ahsoka, continuing to wipe away the grime from her face until she was fresh and clean.

"When you wake up, Ahsoka, you will find yourself in a new world, with your friends standing next to you, waiting to greet you and welcome you home." Jupiter spoke, her nurturing voice slowly beginning to lull Ahsoka's eyes closed, guiding her into the sweetest of dreams. "The air is clear and smells sweet because of the fruits that grow on our trees. There's laughter from the younglings and padawans, the sound of the training fields just outside the sanctuary, people that you know and who will greet you warmly when they see you. They will say that they are glad to have you back and that they missed you. The younglings will flock to your side, asking questions and smiling their innocent little smiles, wanting you to pick them up and play games with them. When you wake up, Ahsoka, you'll be home." With promises of such a quintessential dream soothing Ahsoka's mind, Jupiter watched over her as she slept, falling into a deep sleep to recover her strength.

When they returned to their new home world of Typhon, it was night and many were asleep except for the masters and the evening patrols. They were awaiting Jupiter's return, however when she stepped from the ship with Roo at her side and Ahsoka in her arms, many gasps were shared and Khalifa ran forwards, only just restraining herself from calling out as tears of joy began to slide down her face endlessly. Ahsoka, she was alive and she was here, on Typhon. They were beginning to recover, one by one the Jedi Order were slowly becoming whole once more. "She needs to sleep, Khalifa, if I may, I would like to place her in your room with you."

"Of course master, right this way." Khalifa nodded, trying to wipe away her tears as Jinx and O'Mer came running, equally overjoyed to see Ahsoka once more. They had all grown up so much, Jupiter hardly recognised them. Grown adults clustered around Ahsoka's bed, watching over her diligently as she rested, making Jupiter smile as she gazed back at them before slipping away to speak to the council, there were many things to discuss. In fifteen years, there had not been much change to who stood on the council, save for a few additions of Jedi Knights who had proven themselves worthy of the rank of master, either by venturing out into the galaxy on a mission or through their wise counsel of others.

When Jupiter arrived at the council chamber they had chosen to conduct their business within, they were already waiting. "Master Jupiter, it is a great pleasure to see you returned to us unharmed." Master Sinube announced on everyone's behalf as Jupiter bowed her head to them all.

"It is comforting to be home. Come, I have much to report and much we must discuss. Let us begin." Jupiter conducted the council session, giving a full report of her experience on Morthal, excluding her vision of her father and those now passed on. With that she then moved onto discussing the matters that she wished the council to speak their opinion on, the prime object being the wish to grant Ahsoka a place back in the Jedi Order as well as the rank of Master. There were some who protested, insisting that Ahsoka had abandoned them in their time of need, however Jupiter argued her case and all that Ahsoka had done since leaving the temple, helping to protect the lives of the innocent and actively trying to maintain the peace in the galaxy. In the end, the votes were won over, now all that remained was to offer Ahsoka the choice to return.

Leaving to seek out Ahsoka, Jupiter sensed that she had already risen and gone on a walk to try and clear her head. It had been several hours of discussion in the council room, so it was already morning when Jupiter found Ahsoka in the room where they kept all the lightsabers of the deceased on display. Ahsoka was gazing at the blade of Master Yoda, deep in contemplation, mind masked with confusion. "I see you are already up, you heal just as quickly as I remember." Jupiter announced her presence, making Ahsoka jump slightly and look back to her. "You were always stubborn, Ahsoka. It was a quality I always admired in you."

"Master Yoda and Master Kenobi used to say I was too headstrong for my own good." Her response was joined with a small smile, glancing back into her past before returning to gaze at Master Yoda's weapon, brushing her fingers over it carefully. "So many have disappeared, I only felt a small disturbance in the Force when it happened, but you, you must have felt everything. Right Master Jupiter?"

"Yes, Ahsoka. I felt every single death like it were a blaster bolt through the heart without the possibility of death. Only enduring pain." She agreed, stepping forwards to join Ahsoka's side. "Worse still, I learn that my own brother had become corrupted by the Dark Side and betrayed us all. I blamed myself for everything, for not noticing the change in him sooner, for not protecting him better. I found every single way to blame myself in order to justify the pain. Even now a small part of me blames myself, however I have come to realise that my part in this tragedy was very small in comparison to the grand scale of the design." Reaching out Jupiter placed her hand upon Ahsoka's shoulder, consoling her gently. "Let go of the guilt, Ahsoka, the blame is not yours to carry. At least, not alone."

"I just…I wish there had been something I could have done to stop it. So many deaths. The younglings, Master Yoda, Obi-Wan, they're all gone." Shaking her head, Ahsoka gripped her fingers into tight fists. "I don't know where to turn, where to go. I…I never found out who I was out there, it was all for nothing." Tears streaked down her face as Ahsoka began to release the pent up emotion that she had been carrying with her all these years, leaning into Jupiter's shoulder as her arms embraced her securely. "It's my fault. I left him…I left him and I didn't save him from the corruption…it's all my fault…"

"Hush, hush now." Jupiter soothed, cupping Ahsoka's face to stand her upright. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out Shmi's handkerchief and carefully smoothed away the tears, earning a weak laugh from Ahsoka as the gesture once again remained just the same as before.

"You haven't changed a bit, you're exactly the same. I'm extremely glad, I don't think I could cope if you'd turned into some kind of twisted, bitter woman seeking revenge for everything that happened." Ahsoka mumbled, struggling to get herself back under control. For a while Jupiter merely observed Ahsoka, reading her features, the aging of her eyes, the clarity they held yet also the pain, the years that had toughened her already thick hide , the strength she had mustered in order to endure it all alone.

"Listen to me, Ahsoka." Jupiter said, taking Ahsoka's hand in hers to draw her attention. "There are many things I could say to you now, long winded profanities and wisdom passed down to me from those older and wiser who came before, but as far as I can see, there is nothing I can say that can change the past." She began, speaking slowly so that Ahsoka had time to process exactly what she was saying. "What is past is nothing we can change, however our actions will still affect the future, which means the choices you make from this point onwards will not only affect you, but others around you. Tell me, Ahsoka, what is it that you want?" Blinking for a moment, Ahsoka looked down almost in shame.

"To start again. To do better, I want to be able to correct the mistakes that I made, however I can. I don't know where I can go or what I can do, but I will find a way. I'll make sure of it." Towards the end, her voice grew stronger and more determined, making Jupiter stand up tall as she leaned back, a smirk gracing her lips as she looked at Ahsoka with amusement.

"There she is…I was beginning to fear that the Ahsoka I knew was lost." Brushing the back of her hand down Ahsoka's cheek, Jupiter's smile broadened invitingly. "Ahsoka, you are more yourself than you ever have been before. Tell me, Ahsoka Tano. Who are you?" Opening up her palm, Jupiter exposed the padawan chain that Ahsoka had worn all through her training years with Anakin, something that Jupiter had kept ever since he had passed it over into her care. Not expecting to see the chain, Ahsoka's eyes widened, staring at it blankly before she softened, fingers reaching out and hovering over it for a moment. Both recalled this same moment over fifteen years ago, where Ahsoka made the decision to leave the Jedi Order, walking away from the only life that she had known. Jupiter knew that Ahsoka would return, she simply did not know when.

With a deep breath for courage, Ahsoka picked up the chain and held it in her fist, raw determination and resilience burning in her eyes like blue fire, burning hotter against the cool storm of Jupiter's magnetic eyes. "I am a _Jedi_." She decided firmly, earning Jupiter's approval as she inclined her head.

"Then, Ahsoka Tano, as Grand Master of the Jedi Order and head of the Council, with a unanimous decision and vote of agreement, you are hereby accepted back into the ranks of the Jedi Order. When you left, you had already achieved the rank of Jedi Knight, therefore, it has also been decided that you be raised to the rank of Master, and we offer you a seat upon the Jedi Council." Eyes shooting wide open, Ahsoka could only gape in astonishment, not knowing how to answer, however Jupiter waved her hand gently. "You need not answer now, there is still time. Now come, it is time you see Typhon and how we have made it into our home."


	19. Chapter 19

Watching in peaceful silence, Jupiter observed just how much happier Ahsoka appeared since arriving here on Typhon. She was at peace, enjoying her days of carefree moments alongside her close friends Khalifa, O'Mer and Jinx, the four of them appearing to band together into a team along with their padawans. It had been almost a year since they had returned from Morthal and Ahsoka had gladly accepted an apprentice, passing on her strength, skills as teachings in a manner that filled Jupiter with pride. Ahsoka had turned her old padawan chain into a bracelet, which she now wore almost religiously, never taking it off.

The scars on her right arm were starting to itch, distracting Jupiter momentarily from her meditation, cross legged on top of a high podium, overlooking all that lay before her. Her aging body was slowly beginning to deteriorate, starting with the heavy scarring upon her arm which occasionally gave her grief, but still she refused to have it treated. It was a reminder to her, a lesson that she was never willing to forsake. In some ways, it was her way of atoning for what happened to her first apprentice.

Together Jupiter had agreed with the council that off world activity would be limited to highly important cases, meaning that unless it was absolutely necessary, no one would leave Typhon after the events which occurred on Morthal. Some of the council argued that Jupiter should have killed Darth Vader when she had had the chance, however quite rightly, her response was simply that it was not her place and not her destiny to do so, by will of the Force, and this seemed to pacify them. A whole year of the entire galaxy believing that she and Ahsoka were finally dead. It granted them peace and time to recuperate and recover, in the shadows behind the Empire where they were not able to see them.

However, the special day was coming, Jupiter knew it well and although she had agreed with the council that leaving the planet was strictly prohibited, she had a promise to keep and friends whom she could sense were grieving. They were far away, but Jupiter could still feel them. Ezra's guilt, Kanan's sense of isolation, Rex's sorrow and Keyes's confusion. Making her decision, Jupiter stood up from her podium and jumped down, falling over twenty feet to the ground but landing with only a rustle of fabric before moving forwards. "Roo come in, it's time." She murmured to him through her comm. link, heading for the landing bay where all their ships were kept. Roo was already warming up the engines when Jupiter boarded, saying nothing to anyone else as she passed, however Ahsoka had glanced her way, the two of them sharing a look before the younger Jedi nodded her head in understanding. Words were no longer necessary between them, they understood one another completely. Leaving Typhon, Jupiter flew to where she could sense her friends, placing the location into her navigation system, trusting in her instincts as they jumped to hyperspace. Roo bleeped at her, coming to her side and rattled slightly, rocking from side to side worriedly.

"Everything is alright Roo, we are simply making a little detour." She reassured him, dropping her hand to the top of his domed head and together they stayed that way, watching the rush of the nebulas around them as they journeyed until finally, they came to a hot, dry and sandy planet. Reaching out with her senses, Jupiter guided the ship down to the planet, landing it several clicks away from a base that the rebels seemed to have established. The sun was setting, making the sky dusky and pale with the colours gradually becoming richer each moment the sun sank below the horizon. "Wait here." Jupiter murmured softly, moving off into wilderness and leaving Roo behind to take care of the ship.

Emitting a calmness around her, all animals either did not approach or ceased any hostility, merely observing as she walked past, leaving a single trail of footprints. As she walked, Jupiter came across some kind of giant crawler, a type of huge spider that snapped at her slightly, however when she lifted a hand and reached out to it without fear, it quietened down and allowed her to touch its side gently before she continued forwards, sensing her friends close by. The light was still strong enough to see, however as she reached a large cliff edge that overlooked the entire base, Jupiter looked down to see the fence of sensor beacons to keep the crawlers from approaching the base.

Her hood was pulled up over her face, however as she gazed down she spotted her friends one by one, seeing them continuing with their work, though she smiled softly seeing Ezra and Zeb chasing Chopper around relentlessly, perhaps for some kind of prank. Shifting her gaze, Jupiter noticed that Caleb had a white bandage around his eyes and was walking with Hera leading him, making Jupiter finally understand the reason why Caleb felt so lost. He had been blinded. Even so, there seemed to be a greater strength flowing from Caleb Dume, as if he had found himself in the darkness and the Force cautioned her not to interfere, at least not yet.

Finally, her eyes found Rex. He was addressing his men, organising a new shipment and they all pitched in to help move the crates and one of them was Keyes, who stood with Rex, an ominous cloud fogging his mind in the confusion that followed the news of death. Suddenly, Keyes received the strange urge to look up, making him frown slightly before he did so. At first he saw nothing, scanning the horizon and looking around until finally, his eyes caught something far above them on the cliff. The others had already moved off, leaving only himself and Rex behind, but as he stared at the figure, recognition immediately flared up in his chest. He knew who it was, he did not need clarification to know. It was her.

Quickly grasping Rex's arm, Keyes stared up at the shadowy figure upon the cliff, making Rex protest initially until he followed Keyes's gaze. Jupiter remained perfectly still, fingers laced together before her with a serene smile of affection as she gazed down at them. They needed to know, it was too important to let them continue living believing that both herself and Ahsoka were gone, so with a silent sigh, she reached out with the Force and lifted up one of the containers behind them, making their jaws drop before quickly looking back at her. "By the stars…they're alive. They're alive, aren't they?" Rex breathed.

Keyes couldn't even speak, watching as Jupiter remained standing in the distance. She had come back, but why wasn't she coming down to greet them? Surely she must know that they would want to embrace her again, share in their relief that she had survived? However as the sun set lower, the brightness engulfed her form and, as if she were a candle in the wind, her presence disappeared without so much as a single word of warning. Instinctively Keyes made to rush forwards, however Rex wisely grabbed his arm, holding him back. "Steady now, son. You know that she'll have her reasons, it's better this way." He explained to Keyes whose eyes remained locked upon the place that Jupiter had been standing. "If everyone thinks they're both dead, then no one will go looking for them. Trust me, they'll be back, when it's the right time. The general won't ever abandon us, it's not in her nature." Realising that Rex was right, Keyes relaxed, finally sighing to release the pent up emotion that he had locked away in his chest.

"I knew she wasn't gone, I could just feel it." Keyes stated, looking back to the container which had settled back in its place. "And you're right sir, she'll come back for us one day, in all our years and battles that we fought together, there was never a time that she left someone behind." Nodding his head in agreement, Rex clapped his hand against Keyes's shoulder, smiling and feeling fully uplifted. Both Ahsoka and Jupiter were alive, and although it was unclear when they would next see one another again, it was enough to satisfy him just knowing that they were still out there somewhere, waiting, watching, preparing for the time when they could return and strike down the Empire together.

It was difficult to leave them, but Jupiter knew that she had to. However, there was one that she could not keep away from, a promise that had to be kept on the same day each year. It was a rush to make the arrangements but Jupiter was able to send Roo off in the smaller carrier where Jupiter had managed to put together a quick supply run as well as a letter for Luke and his yearly gift, this time choosing to give him a detailed encyclopaedia of all the known planets in the galaxy. It was a large book, however she knew that he would enjoy extending his knowledge beyond that dreary planet. "Take care of them, Roo. You know where to find me again." She murmured to him, kissing the top of his head before he beeped, saluting her cheerfully before going to detach the smaller carrier from the main ship and deliver his shipment to Tattooine as he did every year.

With Luke now taken care of for another year, Jupiter turned and made he was to Alderaan. Leia had been informed that her godmother had been killed from her adopted father, Bail Organa, upon hearing from his Rebels that she and Ahsoka had died upon Morthal, however he had not been able to give Leia any details as to what happened. Her grief was enough as it was, but he had been sworn to secrecy never to reveal Leia's true heritage to her, not even with his dying breath. Since receiving the news, Leia had been inconsolable, barely emerging from her room and today of all days, the pain was felt the most.

When Jupiter entered her room in utter silence, she saw Leia standing upon her balcony, just as she did every year waiting for her, watching the skies to try and spot her coming, but as every year, she never saw any ship arrive. The only difference this year, was the fact that Leia was wearing black. She was in mourning and it pained Jupiter's heart to see her in such a state, so with a smile, she spoke with the same softness that never changed.

"Hello my starlight." Instantly Leia's heart stopped, freezing in shock as the tears became cold and bitter upon her cheeks. That voice, surely it couldn't be? Turning around, Leia slowly opened her eyes to see Jupiter standing there, just as she did every year on this day without fail. Unable to believe her eyes, Leia exhaled a sharp breath, her chest contorting with pain and relief as it flocked to her in waves. "My apologies, dearest, but unfortunately this year I did not have time to…" Jupiter's words were cut off as Leia rushed to her and flung her arms around her all at once, breaking down into sobs as her body went weak, forcing Jupiter to catch her quickly and lower them both to the ground. "Hush, hush now my starlight, I'm here, I'll always be here, I have a promise to keep after all." She soothed, stroking the unkempt hair as Leia sobbed into her shoulder, gripping onto her tightly. "Come now, do not cry so my love, hush…hush…" Rocking with her, Jupiter consoled Leia until finally she was calm, embracing her still even as her tears finally trailed away.

"They told me you were dead." Leia offered weakly, her voice breaking slightly as she sniffed, drying her face and swallowing back the lump in her throat. "I did not want to believe it, but my father told me that it was certain."

"Nothing is ever certain, starlight, especially when I am involved. I have an unnatural habit of cheating death and proving others wrong." Encouraging her to smile, Leia gave a small laugh as she took deep breaths. "Unfortunately I was not able to find you an appropriate gift this year, I hope you will forgive me but I was in a rush when I came." Shaking her head, Leia reached forwards and laced her arms around Jupiter's neck, holding onto her tightly.

"I don't care, you're here and that is gift enough." Jupiter chuckled, the sentiment warming her heart, however as she continued to laugh softly with amusement, Leia pulled back and frowned in confusion.

"Starlight, I was only joking. Of course I found something for you on your birthday. Happy birthday, beloved one, here's to you on this special day. It is not every day a young woman turns sixteen, you know." Winking with a bright twinkle in her eye, Jupiter pulled a large, flat box from behind her, handing it over to Leia who lifted the lid to find a beautiful gown of peach, lilac and soft cream, the colours blending together in a soft gradient.

"It's so beautiful…thank you auntie." Leia breathed, gazing at it as she lifted it out partially, gazing at it before smiling broadly. "I shall put it on, black is not really my colour, after all." Earning another chuckle from her aunt, Leia quickly changed her dress, enjoying the soft feel of the fabric and its lightweight nature as she walked, feeling even more graceful than ever before, each ruffle floating with each step she took.

"You are effortlessly the most beautiful vision I have ever seen, my starlight. Come, let us talk a while, you must have many questions." Jupiter offered, extending her hand and Leia took it, but as she sat down and leaned against her favourite person in the entire world, Leia smiled.

"Actually, I should like to hear stories about you. I have never asked before, but now I would like to know. I want to know everything, or as much as you can tell me. I want to know about your childhood, your life, your family, our family, please auntie, tell me everything." Smiling softly, Jupiter obliged, the two of them talking into late into the night and even into the early hours of the morning. Leia fell asleep against Jupiter, peacefully resting her head against the grove of her auntie's neck. With a warm feeling in her heart, Jupiter carried Leia to her bed and lay her down, making her comfortable and placing a blanket over her to keep her warm. Sitting beside her, Jupiter lingered a few moments longer, stroking her niece's hair back from her face before finally rising to her feet.

Just before leaving, Jupiter left Leia a note, once more renewing her promise that she would return on Leia's birthday next year, and the year after that, and every year even when they were both old and grey. Tucking her letter of farewell next to her, Jupiter leaned down to place a single kiss upon Leia's brow before finally, left Alderaan with a lightness inside her, as if she had shed many of her numerous burdens. She knew that Luke would have received his own supplies by this point and would have read her hastily constructed letter, so it made her feel content to know that both Luke and Leia were safe and happy, even though they were far apart from one another.

It was not yet time to return home, however. There was one more place that Jupiter wished to visit, a place she had only visited once before in the past sixteen years. Turning her ship around, Jupiter set the coordinates into the navigation system and jumped to hyperspace, travelling towards the planet of grass and waterfalls, a planet where she had formed a distant connection to. The planet of her birth. Naboo. It had not changed much since Jupiter had last been there, however there was a sincere lacking in the sense of freedom and serenity, as if a veil had been placed over the entire planet which dulled its beauty and took away the life that used to thrive there.

Jupiter landed her ship in the city, quietly switching off its functions before leaving it tucked away. The wardens made to try and speak to her, however with a wave of her hand they all became distant and quiet, a far off look crossing their features before they turned and walked away, not even questioning Jupiter further. She walked through the city without being seen, cloaking herself so that none looked her way or even noticed her, choosing to remain invisible until finally, she reached her destination. The dome shaped tomb overlooked the water, a place that looked perfect to retreat to, however inside lay a much darker truth.

Padme Amidala lay in rest, her tomb standing at the centre of the shrine with her flawless image carved perfectly from the stone lid of her grave. Angelic and everlastingly beautiful, Jupiter stood by her side, looking down upon her face before lifting her hand and resting it over the stone where Padme's hands were placed on top of one another, a small detail added underneath her hands which Jupiter knew to be the necklace that Anakin had given to her when he was just a boy. It was so long ago that Jupiter had almost forgotten. The last time she came here, it was the twins' first birthday. Now that they were both sixteen, it was only right that Jupiter come again.

"They are so beautiful, Padme." She whispered to her, gaze locked onto Padme's sleeping expression. "And they are growing so strong, one day, they will surpass all of us, I know it. They will be remembered in history for thousands of years to come, and they will be placed in the Archives of the temple as honoured and greatly renowned peace keepers. Just a little longer, Padme, and I shall bring them both to see you, so that you can witness for yourself just how incredible they both are." With nothing more to say, Jupiter stood there in silence, simply gazing upon Padme's grave in melancholy and sadness, remembering everything there was about Padme, the times they had worked together, spent together, simply enjoying one another's company. Time was not a liberty Jupiter had and she knew that Roo would be at the rendezvous point soon, so she leaned closer, lowering her voice to a scarce whisper. "You are a friend who is deeply missed, Padme, I wish I could have saved you." With a final smile, Jupiter pressed her brow against the cold marble of Padme's image.

"Goodbye."


	20. Chapter 20

The months and years passed one by one and slowly, the Jedi began to heal further from the wounds of the past. When the Twi'lek residence became too small, they expanded further and stretched their boundaries, forming new halls and building up their home so that it remained a safe haven for them to dwell in peace and solitude. In that time, Jupiter watched over those under her care, whether they were close by or far away across the galaxy, she always ensured to keep an eye on those that were not directly under her protection as much as she did those that were close to her.

The crew of the Ghost were part of her main focus, watching over them in their struggles against the Empire and sometimes sending guidance to Ezra and Kanan in forms of dreams where they would envision her and she would talk to them. Ezra was growing so quickly that Jupiter could hardly believe her eyes. There was something about this boy that reminded her of her brother Anakin, that fiery stubbornness and innate recklessness that seemed to always get him into trouble. Her heart glowed softly whenever she cast her eye over him. Whenever she sensed that they were in danger, Jupiter was always with them, watching carefully and biding her time to see if they would need her help, though usually they would find a way through on their own, things were getting more and more difficult for the rebels.

Their fights were becoming more brutal and they were losing more allies with every skirmish as well as supplies and ships, not to mention the fact that they were constantly in hiding in order to keep themselves alive and away from the Empire. One thing became very clear to Jupiter. Maul, who was still alive, was not about to give up on the hunt he had started, the hunt for Obi-Wan and a way to take revenge against the Sith. Since Jupiter had been watching over Ezra, she knew that Maul was taunting him, drawing him closer to that planet with twin suns where Obi-Wan lay in hiding away from the Empire, watching over Luke.

It became clear to Jupiter that something had to be done as there was no way that she was about to allow Maul anywhere near Obi-Wan or Luke, additionally she wanted to help Ezra find closure in this matter. The Dark Side was still pulling at him, trying to draw him from his path so with a deep breath, Jupiter made her decision. Being one with the Force, Jupiter was able to locate the exact place that she should go to help Ezra and more so, bring him a gift that his friend would need in her upcoming struggles.

The Darksaber had been in Jupiter's possession ever since she had reclaimed it from Vizsla and after the destruction of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, it had been salvaged by one of the keepers during the escape. Now it would be put to use, so Jupiter carried it with her as she went to her ship, Roo rolling after her. "We go to Dathomir, ready the coordinates to jump to lightspeed Roo, time is of the essence my little friend." Jupiter instructed him as she came to a halt and open up the hatch however Roo, distracted by another droid, rolled straight into the back of her legs and bumped into her rather heavily which made him whirr and beep quickly at her. "Oh Roo, you're always so distracted."

With a smiling laugh, Jupiter directed her droid up into the ship to make things ready, checking that everything was ready before taking off. It felt good to be up among the stars again and Jupiter relished in the momentary freedom the flying brought her, away from her responsibilities for a few brief minutes before the large red planet suddenly appeared upon her scope and in front of her vision. Roo shuddered, slinking back behind her chair to hide. "Yes Roo, it's not a pleasant place. You would be safer if you stayed on the ship whilst I deal with things on the surface, there are plenty of swamps that you might fall into."

Roo beeped at her, agreeing to stay put as Jupiter flew down to the surface and landed safely a small distance away from the old coven that used to be the home of the dreaded Nightsisters. There was still a darkness that clung to the shadows even after all these years of being abandoned. A maliciousness that lay partially in sleep, stirring in the deep, deep crevasses of the scarred ground. Maul was here and so was Ezra, Jupiter could feel it. "Foolish boy. Just like my brother…" She murmured to herself as she walked, hood drawn up which cast a heavy shadow over her face. Inside she could hear the disturbance of Ezra fighting to free Kanan and Sabine from the clutches of the spirits of the Nightsisters and doing rather well, however her path was locked with Maul's who was muttering madly as he attempted to flee.

"Twin suns…yes, yes…a planet of sand…desolate and alone, so alone! Oh this is glorious, now his end shall come and I shall finally have my revenge!" It was strange to see Maul after so much time. The first time that she had caught a glimpse of him it had been on Tatooine where he had fought against Qui-Gon. It was harder still to know that when she looked into his face, she looked into the face that had taken her father's life, snatched him away before she had truly begun to know him. Maul was almost too distracted to notice that there was a figure that stood between him and his ship, however when he sensed the presence of another that he sought to destroy, he froze to the bone and halted, slowly lifting his head to reveal older and a frailer body than what Jupiter recalled. All the muscle tone that he had used to carry was gone. Maul really had lost his way. " _You_." His near inaudible voice was thick with accusation and hatred, eyes nearly glowing as they stared directly at Jupiter. "You are alive. I should have known, should have known that you would not have fallen so easily. This is good, it gives me the pleasure of killing you myself."

"I do not think so, Maul." Jupiter answered smoothly but then cast her eye behind him to see Kanan, Ezra and Sabine come out of the cave, all of them together safe from harm. "You shall not torment the boy any further, you will let him have his peace and I shall not permit you to hunt _him_. He is too precious to me to let this happen." A deep growl rumbled from Maul's throat as Jupiter faced him down, knowing that the time had come to end things here once and for all. This fight had been a long time coming and a part of her knew that for a tortured soul like Maul's, nothing will ever stop him except her blade.

With that in mind, Jupiter lifted up her lightsaber and ignited the blade so that her face was illuminated in bright orange, fingers curled around the hilt as she took a deep breath. "No…no way…it can't be…" Ezra was staring as he held Kanan's arm over his shoulder, mouth dropping open as emotion welled within him. He couldn't believe it, in fact he was partially convinced that this was just some trick created by this place.

"Ezra, what's happening?" Kanan questioned with a frown before stretching out his hand and reached with the Force. When he was met with the familiar presence that he had thought he would never feel again, he froze. "Master Jupiter?" Maul snarled, turning around quickly as he drew his own lightsaber with the two blades extended with a flash of red.

"First I shall finish what I should have ended when I had the chance. Ezra, you _will_ be my apprentice!" However as Maul swung around to strike down Kanan Jupiter had moved like the wind, disappearing and reappearing directly in front of Maul where her blade blocked his attack and pushed him back, her hood flickering as she struck her opponent back with a firm strike to the sternum. "Agh!" In the next blink of an eye Jupiter had slashed with her lightsaber with such deadly accuracy that she had cleaved through Maul's own weapon, the two parts falling out of his hands as he continued to stumble before all at once, she thrust her blade forwards and the orange gleam flashed, illuminating his burning gaze before suddenly his face dropped in pain and shock. "N-No…no!"

"Be at peace, Maul, you will suffer no longer." Jupiter murmured to him softly as they both collapsed to the ground. Jupiter retracted her weapon and placed it aside, holding Maul in her arms as the wound smelled of searing heat and burnt flesh. "I'll hold you."

"You…why would you…?" He was frowning at her, pain and fear flickering in his features as well as sorrow, the fear to die causing him to tremble as his still strong fingers gripped onto Jupiter as if she were the one anchoring him to the living realm. "I killed your father."

"Yes you did, but that was a long time ago and right now, you are suffering so I cannot turn away. I cannot say that I forgive you entirely, Maul, since I never had the chance to embrace the man I knew as a father as his daughter, but I do forgive you for everything since. Perhaps rather than lacking in forgiveness, it is simply regret that I feel." Giving him a kind smile, Jupiter lifted her hand and placed it against his face to smooth away a wet trail, causing his eyes to flicker towards her fingers before looking back up at her, brow creasing before slowly he started to relax.

"I saw…I saw the…tell me. Is he going to bring balance to the Force? Is he the Chosen one?" Maul demanded to know in a quiet and forced whisper as he struggled to find breath.

"Yes, Maul. He is part of the prophecy to bring peace back to the galaxy." Jupiter told him quietly, her fingers still brushing against his skin and Maul managed a small smile at her.

"Good. That's good." His voice was so quiet that Jupiter had to lean in to listen, perfectly aware of the fact that Ezra, Sabine and Kanan were only a few metres away watching them. "You…showed me kindness…thank you. _Thank_ you." His trembling hand lifted up, offering it to her as he continued to look outwards, eyes filled with fear. This was his last breath, his last moment and Jupiter took further pity on the creature who had suffered all his life at the hands of others so she laced her fingers through his and held onto him in his last moments.

Jupiter felt as the life left his body, the Force trembling a little at the disturbance of life being lost before it settled once more. "Be at peace." Jupiter murmured once again before gently closing Maul's eyes and pulled off her cloak to lay it over his body as Roo quietly rolled forwards, his pincer arm stretched upwards and pulling a levitating medical bed with him. "Thank you Roo, please take him back to the ship. We'll find somewhere to bury him later." She said, effortlessly lifting up the withered body of the person she had once called enemy. Jupiter recalled first seeing him, imposing and dark, like a blemish in the air which had caused her to shiver. Maul had lost his muscle tone, lost his tall pride and power. All that remained of him was someone who had been desperately clinging onto revenge and hatred in his final bitter days. "And be gentle with him." Jupiter added after settling Maul onto the bed.

Roo clicked and whirred at her in reassurance before leading the transport back to the ship in order to tuck the body away safely. Now that they were alone, Jupiter finally turned around to face Kanan, Sabine and Ezra. No one said a word. Then without warning, Ezra was suddenly running forwards and before Jupiter could realise what was happening, he had flung his arms around her. Jupiter was caught by surprise, blinking down at the young boy who gripped onto her so tightly she could feel her spine groaning in protest at his strength. "Master Jupiter, you can't imagine how glad I am to see you alive. Why didn't you come back?! We would've…we wouldn't have left you and Ahsoka there had we known…"

"Death is an excellent ruse in order to move about in secret." Jupiter answered him solemnly however when he lifted his head, he saw that she was smiling at him. "My brother, the one you know as Darth Vader, would have hunted me across the stars and destroyed entire worlds in order to find me. So long as he believes that I and Ahsoka are dead then it is safer for everyone, safer for you also since he would have expected us to come to you first as our closest friends. Forgive us, Ezra, but it was necessary."

"I get it, but it still really sucked." Ezra stated as he let go of Jupiter and the older woman chuckled as Kanan came forwards also with Sabine. Jupiter gazed into the sightless eyes of the former padawan that she had known, reaching out to him and placing her hand over his lids. She reached forwards with the Force, sensing the damage and humming to herself thoughtfully.

"Strange, this is no mere physical injury Caleb Dume, you have been afflicted with something that I can only explain as an imposition of the Force's will." Arching an eyebrow slightly Jupiter leaned in a little closer. "Caleb, I sense that you are more balanced within yourself. Perhaps this is not entirely a bad thing."

"No, Master Jupiter. I have learned to adapt and cope with this chance. It truly is good to hear your voice, I don't know why I ever doubted you." He said, giving a crooked grin as Jupiter chuckled.

"Unfortunately I cannot stay long, in fact I came to simply to finally end an ongoing feud and to give a gift. To you, Sabine."

"Me?" Sabine blinked in surprise, a hand touching her chest as she looked directly at Jupiter. "Why would you have a gift for me? I'm not a Jedi."

"No, but you are important." Jupiter answered and Sabine blushed slightly at the compliment. "Listen to me, all of you. Everything is changing, no doubt you can feel it in the Force and how it is trembling and growing more and more out of balance. This is a long and laborious fight, but it is a fight worth winning. That is why, Sabine, I have come to bring you this." Reaching behind her, Jupiter brought forwards the Darksaber. "I retrieved this from a mission many years ago to your home world of Mandalore. It was also recovered from the temple during the attack and now, I pass it onto you. Your people will need guidance and they will need someone to lead them in order to free themselves. I know that you Mandalorians are a mighty people and great warriors. It is not right that you should all sit back and stay quiet for so long, though no doubt my friend Duchess Satine…she would prefer a non-violent approach." Jupiter smiled distantly at the thought of her friend Satine, the both of them having loved the same man and how they had not let it come between them. "Sabine, I'll let you look after this. I think right now, it belongs with you and your people."

"Wow, are you sure you want to give this to me? Maybe Ezra…"

" _You_ are Mandalorian. That means much more to this sabre than being a Jedi. Take it, Sabine. You'll know what to do when the time is right." Jupiter told her as she lifted her hand and placed the hilt of the blade into Sabine's palm, making her eyes widen as her fingers curled around it. "Take good care of it. As for you two." Jupiter smiled as she then turned to Ezra and Kanan, pausing a moment before chuckling. "Keep up the good work. Both of you. Ezra? Do not worry so much for what is past, go forth with a light heart and it shall make the coming days easier to bear. Caleb, I hope that you have the good sense to accept your feelings. When it comes to love, it is not a good idea to wait." He jarred slightly however Jupiter merely smiled again and pulled back, drawing away from them. "May the Force be with you."

"Wait! When will we see you again?" Ezra called out to her as Jupiter walked away, making her stop and look back with a lift of her hand.

"Whenever you need me the most, Ezra Bridger."


	21. Chapter 21

Of course, Jupiter had not expected that she would need to rescue both Caleb and Erza so soon. It was a few months later when she felt the flickering of warning during meditation, predicting a little of what would become of Caleb Dume as well as his apprentice. It was near enough nineteen years since the new war had begun, yet as the last stages of its journey began to come to an end, Jupiter sensed that many were being sacrificed as a result. As two incredibly important Jedi Knights and assets to the resurrection of the Order, as well as being dear friends, Jupiter refused to allow them to be killed and began to make preparations to step in. the Force guided her as it always did, however it was not always specifically clear. Jupiter found herself once more on Lothal, a place heavily controlled by the Empire so she landed secretly upon the planet, keeping out of sight and undetected with Roo by her side. He beeped at her.

"I am not certain why we are here, Roo, the Force is being rather stubbornly elusive." Jupiter answered him as she left the ship. "Keep an eye on the scanners and move the ship if necessary, it is alright to leave me behind, I shall find you again if we need to split up so do not worry." She informed him as she stopped and Roo bumped into her legs having been distracted by a pale butterfly. "Still as absent minded as ever I see." She chuckled, turning around and rubbing the top of his head. "I shall return as soon as possible, but do not worry if I am gone for a long time. We shall see what it is I am required to do." Roo beeped and turned back to the ship which they had concealed within the rocks, perfectly camouflaged and hidden from sight.

Jupiter took to wandering, trying to allow the Force to guide her however with it being so out of balance, it was difficult to grasp hold of until finally, she came across someone who would help. Or rather, something. The great Loth-Wolves, beautiful creatures with talons for paws and noble faces with eyes of wisdom, towering over Jupiter as they rose up from within the grass and circled her, one of pure white coming forwards and standing directly in front of her. Jupiter smiled. "I see, are you here to guide me instead?" She questioned and the wolf dipped its head, sniffing at her face and hair before ducking lower and allowed Jupiter to place her hand against the soft fur. "I am glad that you are here, I thought I would wonder for weeks to come. I can already feel the Force wavering, what is it that needs to be done?" Jupiter asked so the Loth-wolf stooped down and allowed her to mount.

The pack gave a howl into the night and Jupiter could not help but feel a surging thrill shoot through her as the wolf carried her forwards across the wide plains, crossing the distance in a matter of minutes and continued to run until finally she reached a place that she knew instinctively. The work of a Jedi Temple Gateway was unmistakable so Jupiter reached out and placed her hand against the elaborate painting of the Daughter, the one who held the Light side of the Force before stepping back and focusing the Force upon her. Jupiter concentrated, moving the images which had long since been abandoned by the Empire for yielding no results before slowly, the images began to shift and change.

Stepping back Jupiter placed her hand against the lowered snout of the wolf in thanks, murmuring softly before walking forwards and entering the portal where she felt the Force become a little more settled, less touched by outside influences. Inside she found herself standing within a maze of portal gates, a long road and immeasurable mirrors reflecting into the past standing all around her. "I see." Suddenly it was much clearer to her, so Jupiter walked forwards and carefully observed each and every portal she came to. Some caused her pain, some brought her happiness as she looked into memories which she herself had forgotten. "Mother." Reaching forwards Jupiter stopped before the mirror which showed her Shmi, smiling and happily watching as a younger Jupiter and Anakin played together in the sand, Anakin barely able to waddle however each time he almost fell, Jupiter was catching him before he could hit the ground and swinging him up again. How could she forget a memory so precious?

It was only then did Jupiter realise that she had almost forgotten her mother's face. Shmi Skywalker, she had always been such a kind person, loving Jupiter as she had even though they shared no blood. It was good to refresh her memory and have a clearer picture of Shmi in her mind, however now that an idea had stuck itself in her head, Jupiter walked onwards and searched for another, travelling for what felt like hours until finally she found it. The portal she had been looking for. There, walking together in a field of grass and flowers on Naboo, were her parents. Qui-Gon looked so young and her mother so beautiful with bright golden white hair which was pulled back underneath a ornate hairnet of gold and pearls, the fine chains lacing over her head and adorning her brow in such an elegant style that she looked unearthly. Jupiter felt the emotion swell within her as she saw her parents together for the first time, the only time, and saw how in love they were. Jupiter could see now how much she took after her father, Qui-Gon Jinn, though there was some slight semblance to her mother in their face shape, the high arch of their cheeks and curve of their lips.

Reaching forwards Jupiter almost wanted to try and step through in order to meet them, to tell them that she had always wanted to meet them together like this and that she wished she had had a chance to know them both as real parents. Her father she loved dearly because she had known him even though it had been brief, but it was harder to love a mother when every time you tried to picture her face, the image of Shmi Skywalker appeared. This made it a little easier, brought Jupiter a little more peace as she smilingly watched them settle upon the grass and Qui-Gon began to tell Jupiter's mother all about the stars and the places he had seen. She seemed so enraptured with him that her eyes never once looked elsewhere. She had such beautiful eyes, Jupiter could hardly believe such a woman existed. Before, she had always thought Padme to be the most beautiful woman alive but now, Padme definitely had a rival for that position.

"Mother, father." Jupiter murmured, reaching up and touching the smooth surface of the portal gateway which rippled under her hand. "Know that I love you, I love you with all my heart. Thank you for sacrificing everything for me, I promise to repay those sacrifices well." Qui-Gon lifted his head, sensing something nearby almost like a familiar presence yet he could not quite distinguish it. Jupiter watched as his head turned slightly towards her, a quizzical frown on his brow before he passed it off as his own imagination. With a smile of pure peace and joy, Jupiter turned and moved onwards.

She revisited memories of her past, seeing things in different perspectives. There were times of peril, laughter and many dangers, however Jupiter noted how she was never alone in any of those times. Always, someone was there with her. Obi-Wan, Anakin, Ahsoka, Keyes, Master Windu, even Rex. Every time Jupiter had had to face something, someone she loved had always been close by, giving her strength. That was the truth of her power, she believed, the power to move the heavens in order to protect the people she loved. "Show me, show me what it is that you wish me to see. You did not bring me here for the sake of memories." Jupiter murmured, continuing to walk forwards until finally she felt a sense of prompting, causing her to turn and go down a different pathway until she came before a mirror which was exploding with fire.

Kanan, Caleb Dume, was standing up a large fuel sphere with his hands outstretched, holding back the exploding flames with incredible Force control. Hera gave a heart wrenching cry as she tried to reach out to him, making to run forwards however Kanan held out his other hand and pushed her back, lifting her off the ground before Force throwing her back to Ezra and with a quick flick of motion, thrust out his palms and pushed the plane away from the engulfing flames and sent them all to safety. All at once Jupiter reacted, crying out as the flames swept up around Kanan and she created a pocket of air around him with her own control with the Force, protecting him from being consumed however the heat was so intense that it was melting away his skin, causing him to scream in agony as Jupiter wrenched him towards her.

She could feel the flames burning against her face and the old scars down her arm twitched and itched in memory of fire that intense. Reaching forwards she dragged Kanan free, drawing him through the portal gateway and quickly sliced her hand to seal it shut and the flames which followed swiftly petered out as Jupiter lay Kanan down on his back, listening to his agonised cries as he writhed and contorted from the pain. "Hush now, it's going to be alright Caleb, I'm right here. It's alright…" Jupiter soothed as she began to heal him, placing both hands over him as she used the Force to supplement his diminishing life force as it started to crumble away like his scorched clothing, turning to ash at the slightest of touches.

His face was barely recognisable however as the slow process began to settle Kanan into a more peaceful state. Cerulean eyes gazed outwards blearily, shifting constantly until the shadows and shapes began to separate from the confusing merge around him, signifying the person in profile before him. "M…Master…"

"Rest easy Caleb, everything is alright." Jupiter murmured to him softly, lifting a hand and brushing back his hair as she gave him a reassuring smile. "You are safe and alive and in no danger any longer, Hera and Ezra are also safe, so be at peace." Curling her hand under his head Jupiter lifted him up to rest a little more comfortably against her legs as she sat herself down and caringly continued to heal him, watching as the burns faded to scars and then the scars to disappeared, leaving him perfectly unflawed and recovered though exhausted from the process.

"Hera…where's…? What am I…where…?" Kanan could barely string two coherent words together. The last he remembered was the searing heat of fire and being able to see Hera from a distance for the first time in a long while. "Master?"

"Your hair looks terrible, Caleb, we shall have to fix that as soon as possible." Jupiter mused to him as she allowed him to time rest. "But do not worry, you will be reunited with everyone very soon." Kanan gave a long sigh, eyes closing for a while as his mind gradually knit itself together and he was finally able to ask where they were. "In an ancient place, a world between worlds." Jupiter explained to him, helping him to sit up as he rubbed his head.

"Well that clears up all the confusion." Kanan said sarcastically, earning a light hearted chuckle from Jupiter as she sat back and looked around her. "Why are you here? Did you know that I was going to be here?"

"No. I am the one who actually brought you here Caleb Dume, I merely followed my instincts and when the Force guided me to this place, I realised that some good might come of it." Jupiter said before getting to her feet and walking a little way. "I have spent several days here, meditating. Watching. I have witnessed parts of my life that I have long since forgotten, things that I never wanted to witness or see again but this place, it shows you the infinite number of paths which you may take. I simply found the one to you." Jupiter said as Kanan got up, wavering a little before he found his balance and came to walk beside her, noticing the portals and the glimpses into the past, present and future. They stopped before one in particular, one of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant where a much younger Jupiter, only just a Jedi Knight, was walking along with several legers in her arms only to be run into by Caleb Dume.

"Sorry about that." Caleb said bashfully, watching as the memory unfurled before him, listening to the ringing laughter of the younger Jupiter as she used the Force to stop Kanan and his friends from all tumbling to the ground from rebounding off her. "It seems the Force was determined to have our fates connected."

"Indeed." Jupiter agreed with a hum of thought, watching for a while longer before moving along once again.

"So this place, exactly what is it? One second I'm being burned alive and preparing to face my death and then in the next moment I'm lying on the ground with you over me. Master Jupiter, is this a place of the Jedi or a place of the Sith?" Kanan could not help but feel suspicious of this place, the mysteriousness and the looming power which hung over them like a shadow. He did not like it and he did not trust it.

"Neither. It is as I said. A place between worlds where time, space and all things connect. The power of the Force is very strong here, no doubt you can sense it." Jupiter said as she came to stop before another mirror like portal, looking ahead and her face fell into a hard line as she watched one of her former masters being killed. Master Plo-Koon. "I cannot help but feel my purpose here is not yet finished. There is something else I am meant to do. Meant to rescue. I wonder who it could be."

"Master, you can't be thinking about pulling all of the Jedi masters through the portals, can you?" Kanan looked to the older woman quickly, noting just how tired and ancient she appeared. "I know that it is tempting, but you can't change history, you can't…"

"I changed your destiny by drawing you through the portal, did I not?" Jupiter spoke, cutting him off with her lips held in a firm line. Kanan instantly fell silent. "Imagine, all my friends, all those that I knew, I could save them all one by one." Her hand stretched out to where Master Plo-Koon could be seen through the mirror, riding his speeder with his escort mere moments before they were going to pull back and betray him. "Or I could go back even further and simply try to go through. Stop this madness before it even begins. I could destroy the Sith, return peace. I could change the prophecy itself so that no one would place all their hopes and dreams upon the shoulders of a ten year old boy from a planet in the Outer Rim."

"Master…" Kanan looked to her hand and saw she was trembling, her fingers shaking as she reached out towards her old friend before her hand quickly dropped back to her side to be hidden by her sleeves.

"Do not worry. I know that there is little I can do to change the past. The only reason I was able to save you is because you are still of the future, of a place still yet undetermined. To change so much would throw everything out of balance." Turning her head, Jupiter looked directly into Kanan's eyes and gave a weak smile, the ages of all time and space lying heavily in her gaze. "I would want nothing more than just a few moments with the people that I once cherished so dearly. That's all. If I could have the time back, I would love them more dearly, protect them more fiercely, I would…I would have told them so sooner." Kanan listened, knowing better than to interrupt the Grand Master's lamenting. To her, this opportunity to look back and see the people she had lost over fifteen years ago was painful in the most unimaginable way. Kanan himself did not know the full extent of her loss, as Jupiter had never really fully told anyone of the burdens she carried. "Caleb Dume. Kanan. When we return to the real world and we finish this war for good." Her eyes softened and she reached out, placing a hand upon his face. "Go and tell her that you love her. Love her and never leave her side again."

"But Master, the Codes and the Council…"

"Times are changing and we must all adapt. Besides, what's the use in being Grand Master if you can't pull a few strings?" And just like that the light had returned to her eyes and she was smiling again, youthful and full of energy as she turned away and began to stride forwards with purpose. "Just do not forget my invitation to the wedding. I still have not forgiven my own brother for failing to invite me to his, so do not be negligent. Oh, and one more thing." Smiling still, Jupiter's eyes danced with mirth as Kanan blinked after her. "If you have a daughter, I fully condone naming her after me."


	22. Chapter 22

Jupiter stood patiently and calmly at the ramp to her ship, Roo at her side and Ezra on the other. After finally learning of her other task in that place, Jupiter and Kanan had both rescued him from Grand Admiral Thrawn and the ship which had nearly made it into hyper space. As the Force had ordered Jupiter to save them, Jupiter had been glad to help increase the chances of the future. Ezra was one of the most gifted Jedi she had seen in a long time and she had great hopes for him, that he would one day help guide the Jedi Order back to its former strength after she was no longer able to continue.

All the while they stood, Hera could not stop crying. When she had seen Kanan standing there, alive, she had broken down and flung herself against him and had not yet resurfaced for air. Chopper had come wheeling over to greet Ezra and investigate Roo, poking at him until they had had a little spat which Jupiter had gently broken up and now they stood far apart from one another, occasionally bleeping at one another insultingly. "Is this okay? I mean, couldn't Kanan just stay with Hera and the baby?" Ezra questioned, glancing down to Hera's stomach where it bulged with new life.

"Unfortunately if he stayed it would place Hera and the child in danger. I do not like having to pull him away, however it is the safest option for everyone involved." Placing a comforting hand upon his shoulder, Jupiter inclined her hooded head before then disappearing inside where Roo followed her. It was a heartfelt goodbye and Jupiter could not help but be reminded of herself and Obi-Wan, when they too had given one another their last farewells. Having returned from that place where one was able to look back into the past, Jupiter found herself pining for the man she loved who was across an ocean of stars, too far out of her reach.

Wanting nothing more than to see him again, Jupiter reflected upon her memories, those that she had treasured and those she had forgotten but seen again because of the portals. So much time, yet it had felt like it had flit by too quickly for her to realise what had happened. There was much that the Sith had to answer for and much more that they were yet to do. Jupiter could feel it. The oncoming storm. A storm which was going to shake the galaxy for centuries to come. All she prayed and hoped for was that they would be able to walk through it and not be whisked away. Opening her eyes she realised that Kanan was returning so she fired up the ship, Ezra and Roo also coming aboard before she lifted off and took them away, all too sympathetic to the feelings that Hera felt right at that moment as well as knowing fully the pain of seeing their loved one leave them behind.


	23. Chapter 23

Nineteen years was a long time to be in hiding, returning to the galaxy a bare handful of times each year and always constantly watching where you went to ensure that you were not discovered. As Jupiter guarded over the lives of her people, she also watched over those in the galaxy that were far away from her. At forty seven years old, Jupiter was beginning to feel her age, the pressure of stress having more grey hairs appear than what would have been considered natural and she felt weary in herself at times, constantly worrying over the next moment and whether the Empire would find them in their solitude.

They were still a small people, but they were growing in strength slowly and steadily. They grew so much that eventually Jupiter had to accept that they could not all stay together any longer as they would draw too much attention with their collective powers, so she had selected two groups to be led by Ahsoka and her old apprentice, Kale, to new planets that she had found where they would be safe from discovery, choosing them for their unique connection to the Force and the fact that they were mostly uninhabited. The Empire would have no interest in the planets, so Jupiter reasoned that they would be safe.

Quinlan Vos took charge of those that remained on Typhon, leaving Jupiter free to continue her work in the galaxy as her long term plan slowly came to fruition. She was waiting, biding her time, planning every step and upon occasion, lent a helping hand to the Resistance so that they could continue to struggle against the Empire. She was somewhat of a legend among the Resistance, a solitary figure that no one knew the identity of. At least, no one who could not guess. The important people knew and that was more than enough, Leia being one of them. Now that she was grown, her involvement in the Resistance had become more crucial which meant that she would often be away on her birthday, however her aunt would always find a way to reach her no matter what, even if it was simply through hologram. Never once did her Aunt René break her promise.

Nineteen whole years. Jupiter could scarce believe it as she sat at her desk, amending her chronicles which documented the movement of the Jedi since the fall of the temple at Coruscant. Documenting their history was highly important to Jupiter and as she sat there, her hand closed around the chip that held most of the data received from the archives. According to rumour the temple had been completely desecrated and she worried for the state her beloved archives would be in now. The information contained within the holocrons were unable to be salvaged, how long until the Empire had managed to access them? She did not know but Jupiter suspected that the new weapons that the Empire had been creating derived from the masses of information that those cubes had stored.

Sighing softly her eyes slid closed as she naturally extended her reach through the Force, finding herself flying across the stars and to a hot, dry planet with endless sand dunes and open plains until she came to a moisture farm, watching as a nineteen year old boy worked through his chores beside his uncle and Jupiter smiled to herself, feeling as if she could stretch out and embrace him as the slight rustle in the Force caused Luke to lift his head, pausing slightly as he felt a familiar presence beside him before all at once it rushed away, continuing over the sands before then stopping at the small hut that lay in isolation.

The figure that stood hooded and cloaked paused, aged features turning to then smile warmly towards the sun, Jupiter casting her imprint upon them as the Force connected their minds for the briefest of moments. Obi-Wan looked like he had aged more than two decades, white haired and withered from the harsh terrain of Tatooine but Jupiter loved him still and he could feel it, he could feel it with utter certainty as for a glimmering moment they were connected across time and space until Jupiter had to pull away, returning to where she sat alone at her desk. It was colder and lonelier, making her withdraw a little inside herself before she finally rose to her feet and went to the window and looked outside. The sun was rising and caught in every dewdrop as the cool, damp air brightened with each breath the new morning brought.

Upon mornings such as this, Jupiter revelled in the peace that she could witness to herself. With so much moving and changing in the universe, she could not help but feel concerned. Her plans were going to take time and she needed more allies, however the names and faces that she had come upon through meditation were fast losing time. Events were beginning to unfurl and unless Jupiter moved quickly then all might be lost. She had need of a favour, which meant her good yet untrustworthy friend Hondo needed to be drawn into her scheming. He had long since fell out of touch with his old parlour games and thievery, living a quiet life upon a rich moon however he and Jupiter had reached an accord. He had no love for the Empire and was still interested in becoming richer than he already was, however he had a certain soft spot for Jupiter so when she came to him to claim her second favour, he was more than willing to oblige.

"Jupiter my friend, radiant as ever I see." He greeted her as her cloaked image appeared in holo-form. "To what do I owe this immense pleasure?"

"It is good to see you too Hondo, life is treating you well." She complimented her aging friend, noticing how much thinner he looked and had even shrunk a little in his age from the hunch in his back. It saddened her to see Hondo reaching the end of his time. "I know that you have collected quite the private collection of ships, I was wondering if I might borrow one."

"Of course! Of course! Anything that is mine, sweet Jupiter, is yours." Hondo declared proudly and she almost chided him for calling her by name, however she knew that his equipment was state of the art and that no one was listening in on their conversation. It would take only the best of hackers in order to do such a thing and unless the Empire knew exactly where and when such calls were to take place, there was no way they could be traced. Jupiter had also taken precautions, looping the origin source to an outpost on an abandoned moon so that if their communication was ever traced, it would not be found upon Typhon. "Which ship do you need my friend?"

"The transport that you have modified which you acquired from gambling at the casino." With a knowing smile, Jupiter tilted her head towards Hondo. "You know which one that I refer to, the ship with launch carriers and good medical facilities. Not the big one, the smaller one." Instantly Hondo pulled up the details and Jupiter nodded her head, recognising it instantly.

"A small favour by standards, are you certain you do not need a bigger ship, my dear? You know that Hondo has more than enough ships!" He declared proudly however Jupiter assured him that this one would do perfectly and that she would collect it from him at the drop off point that they had arranged in case of emergencies. Hondo did not ask questions and for once, did not betray Jupiter to the Empire. He had grown fond of her as in his old age she had been the only one that had continued to ask after his health and periodically check up on him to make sure that he was comfortable and had everything that he wanted. Hondo did not exactly believe that he had real friends, not those that he could trust without question, however Jupiter was the closest that he had and it was a comfort to know that someone in the galaxy cared for his wretched soul. Ezra had long since abandoned him, probably not even thinking of him ever again after their last contact and it stung him a little, knowing that he would never see that boy again.

"I shall see you soon Hondo, it is good to know that you are refraining from finding trouble." Jupiter said to him in a friendly and nostalgic tone, one that she could not keep from almost purring with laughter as she remembered their scuffles and adventures together. Giving Hondo a final smile they finalised their plans before Jupiter began to make her move, calling together the council to discuss her intentions. The chamber soon became occupied with the older masters and the ones that had risen from the ranks of Jedi Knight. Ahsoka and Kanan appeared through hologram as well as Kale, completing the circle and they all looked to Jupiter who sat cross legged upon her chair.

It felt strange, gazing upon these faces and thinking almost the exact same thought as the others. Her mind drifted towards the fact that none of those that she looked at sat upon the council that she once knew whilst those that looked at her marvelled at the notion that Jupiter was all that remained of that same council. After Master Sinube passed away in his old age, Jupiter truly was the last master who predated the end of the war and she fully intended to remain alive to see the return of the Jedi once more. Their time was not yet and would not come for many more years, but she was patient. "Master?" Ahsoka prompted gently, giving Jupiter a questioning look as she awoke from her reverie.

"Forgive me, I was in contemplation." Jupiter apologised before she bowed her head, greeting her fellow masters. "I have called this council in order to discuss the proceeding events that lay beyond our solitude. The Empire is growing in strength however our allies also grow bolder. They are wise and cunning, moving to destroy the Empire's clutch upon the galaxy and I have spent much time in meditation to foresee what is to come." She explained slowly, her wise voice humming slightly at its rich tone. "Dark times are ahead…but they glimmer with hope. Hope that has not been felt for a long time."

"What is to be done, Master Jupiter?" One of the other masters asked formally, however others already had their own ideas of how to proceed.

"We must strike out upon the Empire with all our strength! We have the numbers and our strength is no small a thing, now is our time!"

"Peace." Jupiter cautioned, lifting her hand a little and out of respect, the younger master dipped their head. "Our time is not yet upon us. We number too few and our enemies are very strong. The Sith will not fall in a single day, we must wait until they are at their weakest before we make our move if we are to extract them from power. The Senate will be overthrown if confusion and chaos is thrown too quickly at their feet, we must bide our time and continue to prepare ourselves for the long coming end." Her words were heavy but they were heeded with acceptance, knowing that Jupiter was greatly attuned to the Force in ways that no others could even comprehend. Her wisdom was limitless and her advice always respected and of course, she was the Grand Master. Her judgment was final, such was the way that they operated their lives now.

"You sense that your attention is required upon some matter, master?" Kanan asked and Jupiter sent him a fond smile, nodding her head.

"I do and I shall need help. Our allies grow thinner with each conflict against the Empire so we must endeavour to save any that we can. In addition, these next few days will prove pivotal to the survival of both the Resistance and many an innocent." Revealing a little of what she knew, Jupiter said enough to shock everyone in the room but her comfort was immediate, assuring all that she had faith that the Force would guide them. Alderaan was in great danger so she elected to send Kanan to Bail Organa to secretly advice the mass evacuation of the entire planet without alerting the Empire whilst Jupiter went with Ahsoka and a collection of Jedi Knights to retrieve the transport that Hondo had left for her upon an abandoned moon.

Roo came with her, carefully helping to pilot the ship as the Jedi along with a few of their apprentices readied themselves for the conflict they were about to enter. No lightsaber was to be ignited as Jupiter stressed that it was a rescue mission only and those she had picked were to assist with medical attentions only. "Roo, take command of the main transport for me." Jupiter said to her beloved droid who stood beside her whilst her hand smoothed over the dome shape of his head. "Wait for us to return and keep your shields up on maximum to avoid being hit. When we exit hyperspace, we will be in the middle of a battle. Be ready." Roo beeped confidently up at his long-time partner and mistress, making Jupiter smile down to him before she moved away to claim her own carrier which was armed with a cannon.

Ahsoka paused before getting into her own piloting seat, sending Jupiter a firm nod of silence which she returned before they both assumed their roles. "May the Force be with us all." Jupiter spoke, her voice murmuring throughout the entire transport as she took her seat and activated the forward drives, preparing to detach as Roo brought them out of hyperspace. "All units detach now, form up on me." It was so strange, stepping back into a battle having not commanded in over nineteen years.

Her mind immediately fell back into the practice, her time as a Jedi General flashing back in her head as she detached from the main transport and instantly activated her weapons, releasing her torpedo canons upon the shield station to rupture the force field and momentarily give them all an opening. "Dive now, all units descend for the surface and recover all allies you can find. Focus all offensive fire upon the walkers and do not allow yourselves to be captured at any cost." Jupiter ordered gravely and the responses came in a flurry, the younger Jedi sounding greatly enthralled with the prospect of seeing battle for the first time.

Turning her mind to the rebels that were scattered upon the beaches of Scarif, Jupiter manoeuvred her own carrier towards the main cluster of fire, joining rank with the few rebel fighters that had managed to penetrate the shield before it had been activated once more. The air trembled through constant disturbances, death shattering the boundaries and balance of the Force as Jupiter navigated her way forwards and blasted an entire line of walkers into the sand, destroying them with well trained hits.

Upon the sand, the rebels looked up in awe to see the half a dozen new carriers arrive with their heavy artillery guns with huge red insignias painted upon their flanks, proudly displaying the symbol for the rebel alliance. Seeing that their salvation had come, they cheered with a huge eruption of sound, lifting their weapons high as one of them landed upon the beach and opened its doors, allowing them to run for safety and drag their wounded fellows on board. With the arrival of these unknown reinforcements, hope began to blaze outward once more.

Landing her ship, Jupiter pulled up her hood and left her transport unattended, the Force rumbling around her as she walked fearlessly through blaster bolts, knowing exactly where to go. She paused a step and jerked backwards, watching the bright flash of red before her face before she then grasped it with the Force, turning and sent it flying back into the storm trooper who had fired it upon her, killing him instantly. She had no time to waste, lives were at stake. So many precious lives.

Emerging from the trees Jupiter lifted her hand, seeing a blind figure walking towards a console however with a single twitch of her fingers the switch flicked, activating the console automatically as she then stooped down to grasp a blaster, sensing through the Force where her opponents lay before shooting them down as Chirrut halted in frozen disbelief, sensing the shifting change in the Force as Jupiter swept forwards, shooting down the troopers with effortless ease before she reached him. "You must come with me." Jupiter guided in a soft and calm voice, gesturing to the other rebels with a hand before she lay it upon the blind man's shoulder to reassure him of her presence. The Force was strong within him, but he was not a Jedi. Perhaps in another lifetime he could have been a great one. "All of you, run to the carrier through the trees and take it, find as many survivors as you can and leave before it is too late."

"Who are you?" Chirrut questioned as he frowned, unable to focus his pale eyes upon her though he was reaching out with his hand, hovering it over her face as he registered the strong connection to the Force within this strange woman. "Who _are_ you?"

"An ally." She returned gently as Baze came to a halt before his friend, grasping him securely and preparing to haul him away. "Go with the Force, it is always with you." Eyes widening slowly Chirrut made to protest, wanting to know who this woman was and how he could sense the Force so uniquely within her. It surrounded her, ebbed and flowed like water around rock but also passed through her until it was almost impossible to ignore.

"Chirrut, come on. Come on!" Baze insisted, dragging his close friend away as the others all ran in the direction that Jupiter had pointed to as she continued on her way, never once quickening her step from an ambling walk as she turned to her next direction, the Force guiding her every move. Ahsoka remained on standby, commanding the airborne fleet to take down the TIE fighters whilst carriers landed to gather the wounded and the survivors and took them back up to the main transport ship though they were forced to wait and battle in the air as the shield around the planet had closed once more. Time. Time was of the essence and Jupiter was beginning to grow irritated with just how much time was being wasted.

Lifting the blaster she fired it upon a trooper, not even looking as she shot him down. "I grow weary of these childish games." She announced dryly as she came upon a landing pad, shooting expertly with her hood hiding her face as she then held out her hand, capturing the grenade that had been tossed towards the open mouth of the Imperial ship without anyone noticing before then sending it back to the source whereby it blew up brilliantly, a bright mass of flames taking down the majority of the troopers that had been reassigned to this location. "If you value your lives, you will board this ship immediately." Jupiter announced, keeping her weapon up and trained, sensing movement behind her and quickly fired upon it to make it cease all movement. The rebels all stared at her. "Hurry, prepare to leave with the utmost haste, all of you."

"Who…who are you? Why should we trust you?" One of the rebels called out however Jupiter merely pointed to one of the carrier ships that she had brought, directing their attention to the rebel insignia that stood out fiercely upon its side. "You're with the Rebel Alliance?"

"I am not your enemy, I am here to save you all so I suggest you do as I say and move!" Losing all patience Jupiter snapped with a sharp bark, making the rebels all hurriedly move to board the ship, Rogue One as Bodhi appeared, breathless and deeply alarmed as he tried to make sense of what was happening however Jupiter had taken command, ordering him to get the ship off the ground and to fly it up to the satellite platform. "Do not question me, simply do as I say!" Hearing the slightly aggressive authoritative tone, Bodhi did not think to argue and scurried up to the cockpit as the last of the wounded were dragged on board.

"Wait! Do not leave without me!" An unfamiliar voice called out and Jupiter frowned, looking from the bay doors to see a black Imperial droid hurrying towards them, limping slightly and its front was dented. "You humans always forget about us droids, so inconsiderate. Don't shoot me!" The unit lifted its hands in surrender as Jupiter made to fire, assuming it was an enemy droid. "I am K-2SO, a _reprogramed_ Imperial droid, you trigger happy human." The droid said with the utmost sarcasm, causing Jupiter's eyebrow to quirk in response. "And I would rather not be blown up and shot down a second time, if you don't mind."

"Ma'am, he's with us." One of the rebels informed Jupiter as she continued to hold her gun against the droid, hearing and feeling the engines beginning to rush. "That's Captain Cassian's droid, he's one of us ma'am." Accepting, Jupiter dropped her weapon and allowed the droid aboard as he muttered about transferring his memory data into a rusting Imperial knockoff. The droid amused Jupiter so she allowed herself a secret smirk, ordering Bodhi to lift off whilst keeping the doors lowered, shooting down the troopers that were advancing upon them, a fresh wave having arrived.

"Hold on!" Bodhi yelled down to them and Jupiter gripped on though her balance remained untouched by the violent jerking of the commandeered ship. Watching Jupiter awaited as Bodhi flew towards the satellite, sensing everything that was around her as several more TIE fighters came after them. Humming thoughtfully to herself, she let go of the seat and walked forwards, watching as the TIE fighters formed up and prepared to shoot.

"What is this crazy human thinking of doing _now_?" Kaytoo wondered in a deadpan and called the other rebels to watch, their jaws dropping before all at once Jupiter sped forwards and took a running jump from the Imperial ship, flying through the air and propelled herself forwards, shooting her blaster through the window face of the first fighter and took out the pilot as she landed upon it, sliding to one side and forced the ship to spiral out of control into the next whilst never stopping her movement. She fired upon the others as she ran and leaped, twisting through the air to summersault and land upon the final one, shooting through the thick armour before she wrenched open the hatch and shot the pilot inside.

Her hand stretched outwards and secretly guided the controls, guiding the ship as it lost altitude back towards the Imperial ship, Rogue One before she then jumped back onto the lowered deck, calmly brushing herself off as her hood remained up over her head all the while she had taken care of the TIE fighters. "Well." Kaytoo deadpanned. "That was unexpected." Not answering Jupiter returned her attention to the outside, sensing the signals in the air as the plans were transmitted off planet to the fleet above as they continued to take heavy losses.

Walking back to the edge of the ramp Jupiter held onto one of the extenders, anchoring herself before then holding out her hand towards where Jyn Erso and Cassian stood, his arms around her to keep her from going after a fallen Imperial. "It is time for us all to leave." Jupiter spoke to them invitingly, her hand extended outwards and as the winds whipped at her hood her eyes met with theirs, seeing their surprise at the stranger's presence. Neither of them knew who she was, but seeing as they had no other choice, Cassian grasped Jyn by the hand and together they ran off the edge of the walkway, leaping across and as Cassian stretched out to grasp Jupiter her fingers curled around his arm and drew him on board, giving a sharp order to pull up the doors and fly for the transport ship orbiting the planet.

"What's going on here? Who are you?" Cassian demanded as Jupiter climbed up into the cockpit and took over the controls, drawing Bodhi from his seat to put all speed into the thrusters, ignoring Cassian as he demanded to know who she was. "Who are you?!"

"No one you should concern yourself with. I saved your lives, you should be more gracious in your thanks." Jupiter reprimanded before then lifting her comm. link to her lips. "Roo prepare to jump to lightspeed, we shall be the last to board. Are all others accounted for?" Roo reported that Ahsoka and all other carriers were docked and ready to leave so Jupiter guided Rogue One to the landing bay just as she began to sense the presence of a formidable power in the Dark Side. Her head shot up, looking to the ship that had forwarded all attention to the rebel flag ship that had received the plans as a private carrier flew away in a bid to escape. "Leia." Jupiter whispered, sensing her niece on board. She should have known she would have risked all to join this mission, none others could be entrusted with plans so important. "I shall be with you when I can."

Turning her head Jupiter concealed herself from being recognised by the presence of the Sith Lord who was formally her brother, knowing that they must escape now to avoid being found. "Roo, we are boarded. Make the jump." Roo did not waste time in obeying, jumping to hyperspace instantly and the moment the bay doors were open Jupiter was striding outside, stepping onto the broad platform as the padawans and their masters slowly approached but with a quick wave of her hand they disappeared, leaving as the droids aboard the ship came to help with the wounded. Jupiter would tend to them once she was alone with them, however for now she had to quickly ensure that no questions were asked, which meant that Jupiter would have to send everyone here to sleep.

"Baze! Chirrut!" Jyn called out and hurriedly rushed to her newfound friends as she spotted them, the rebel survivors gathering slowly into a tight cluster so Jupiter climbed up onto one of the starfighters to face them. Jupiter noticed that several pilots had also sought refuge in the large transport, everyone just about managing to fit inside comfortably, however before too many could begin to ask questions in wonder of their secretive saviours, Jupiter lifted her hand and closed her eyes, compelling the Force upon all those that stood before her.

All at once they fell asleep, collapsing in pockets until all was quiet and Jupiter sighed, turning her head back to where she had sensed Anakin for the briefest of moments. She had hoped to avoid crossing paths with him again, hopefully he had been too distracted to sense her at all however now, she had much larger things to worry about. Such as an entire deck full of sleeping rebels. Behind her she sensed the other Jedi slowly emerge, everyone safe and accounted for as Ahsoka came towards Jupiter and rested her hand upon her shoulder.

"What is it you want to do now Master Jupiter?" She asked quietly in an informal tone, their friendship still formidably strong between them and unshaken over the years.

"We return them home." Jupiter said simply, dipping her head to the others to signal that she was proud of their success. She could not have hoped for more. "We take them home and then we disappear once more. Follow me, there are wounded that must be tended to. They will sleep until long after we are gone, however I want someone to watch over them all just to be certain." Nodding her head in agreement, Ahsoka had two Jedi Knights stand guard over the sleeping rebels as Jupiter went to the medical bay, her hand brushing against each and every rebel soldier and with that faintest of touches, their wounds healed and they rested in peaceful sleep as the glow surrounded her, cloaking her in light until there were none more that needed to be healed.

Turning her head, Jupiter gazed to the flashing lights of the stars outside, knowing that the time was drawing nearer. It was so close, but not yet. It was not yet time.


	24. Chapter 24

Watching over the rebels had been a large part of Jupiter's life ever since running from the Empire. Very few knew that she was still alive, however her name had in fact passed into legend and as the rebels awoke upon a grassy plain on a planet they did not recognise with their starfighters and the carrier transport still there for their own use, they were confused and bewildered at the strangeness of their rescue but none complained. Only Chirrut had his suspicions of the stranger whom he had sensed but he kept those speculations to himself, humming in smiling thought. It was now their choice what they did with their lives and Jupiter observed that almost all wished to return to the fight.

Jyn was uncertain for a while, wanting to live a peaceful life, thinking of a quiet house in the hills away from civilisation, however she knew that she would not be able to hide from the Empire alone, so she stayed with Cassian who had not let go of her hand since the moment they had woken up, ready to shield her from an oncoming attack which he still suspected. Jupiter's eyes were drawn to how they interacted with one another. The small smiles, quick stolen glances, the way their eyes portrayed a multitude of emotions without saying a single word. It felt familiar and nostalgic, but also painful as she turned and went back to her own starfighter to leave the rebels to their own devices, satisfied that her task for the moment was done.

Across the stars, she could feel him. Upon the vast ocean of sand, Obi-Wan lifted his head as he felt the presence of his heart's desire, revelling in the sensation of her closeness despite the fact that he was completely alone. He wanted to reach out and touch her, hold her close and never let her go again. Although he knew that they had both done the right thing it was the most difficult of challenges to accept that he had to let her go. An attachment he could not forsake, Jupiter still meant the universe to him in a way that could not be compared to anything else. One day, he would be able to be with her again. He awaited that time when the war would end and they would be able to find one another and this time, never leave each other's side.

"Jupiter…" Her lips tilted upwards in a smile as she heard his voice like a distant whisper, taking a deep breath before she opened her eyes to focus on the present moment. Roo beeped at her and she chuckled warmly at her little friend who needed a new coat of paint as he was starting to fade and some of his parts would soon need replacing. He was a very old model and she was unwilling to ever let such a trustworthy companion fall to disrepair. If it were not for Roo, things would be very different indeed.

By this time, Jupiter knew that Leia had been captured by Darth Vader and she was completely alone. It was not long before Jupiter was back on Typhon, however the moment she had peace and quiet to herself she folded her legs and sat down, meditating so that she could focus in on her niece. She was being questioned intensely and even tortured, causing a flare of anger within her to feel her beloved niece's pain but calmed herself. "Leia." Murmuring in a gentle voice, Jupiter reached out before then placing her hand upon Leia's face, stroking back her sweat to remove it as she smiled. "I am right here with you Leia. I am always here."

"René." The young girl breathed with relief, opening her eyes as she lay strapped into the chair at the mercy of her enemies as they demanded to know the location of the plans. Around her all faded to whiteness and the cold air also disappeared so that she was left in a comfortable state of serenity with her favourite aunt standing over her with a loving gaze. "Sometimes I wonder if you are simply a figment of my imagination and that I am losing my mind." She whispered, eyes glazed over and hazy from weariness.

"A little madness can be healthy for the soul, my starlight." Jupiter answered her lovingly as she pulled Leia away from her pain so that she would not suffer. "It helps us understand the true bounds of the mind, the limitations but also stretches us to new heights. The best plans were always made with a touch of insanity." Speaking from experience, Jupiter chuckled before recounting one of her many tales where her mad genius was used in battle as she led her troops to victory against impossible odds.

Leia listened in peace, glad to see and hear her aunt once more. It was a comfort to know that she was nearby and although she knew her as René Tan-Jinn, Leia had long since found out her real name. It had not taken much and once or twice in the past her father had let slip something that he shouldn't have and Leia had been no fool. Her aunt was a Jedi, she simply did not know which one or what her real name was. For many years in her youth, Leia had prayed and hoped that the Jedi were not finished, that they were still out there somewhere and she had placed all her faith in her aunt. "I miss you."

"I know starlight, I also miss you with all my heart when I do not see you but I carry you close to me. Always." Lifting up the locket from within her robes Jupiter showed it to Leia, opening the clasp to reveal one of the four clusters of hair. Her own. It was tied with silvery string as fine as spider silk, glimmering slightly as Jupiter smiled before then putting it away once more. "And one day, we shall be able to sit side by side together and talk without limit. I will be able to be with you without fear and I shall gladly rest myself down." Jupiter spoke more to Leia, telling her of the things they would eat and the places they would go together to keep her distracted from the pain, continually stroking her head until Leia was in so much comfort that she almost completely forgot that she was trapped by the enemy. Filled with the warmth of her aunt's presence, Leia felt as if she were holding the crystal rock from Tepe'Le as it brought her happy memories with Jupiter standing so close to her.

Eventually Jupiter had to let go but she left with a whispered promise that someone would be coming to rescue her, that she only had to remain vigilant and patient until then. "Remember Leia, you have all my love. I shall be with you always, now and forever." Jupiter whispered before brushing a kiss against her temple and drawing back, having to draw back from the meditation momentarily to breathe before then travelling back across the stars to see Luke and make sure that he was alright.

He was in town, Mos Espa, looking at spare parts with none other than Threepio and Artoo, almost making Jupiter laugh before she then relaxed. All was going as it should. Hopefully Obi-Wan would be able to help Luke rescue Leia and they shall return to the Rebel Alliance together to strike the heaviest blow against the Empire that they will ever feel. Jupiter revelled in the knowledge that all was beginning to come to an end, the final chapters were in sight or at least she hoped. The Force was not revealing everything to her, however the idea of peace was almost intoxicating to her as she opened her eyes and took a deep breath, sensing Ahsoka in the room with her so she smiled, the two of them looking at one another before beginning to make plans and preparations for whatever it is that might come.


	25. Chapter 25

_Crash_.

Jupiter stared with horrified gaze as the collection of plants she had been carrying dropped to the ground, the ceramic pots smashing with a burst of rich soil and buds as she felt a heaviness crush against her chest, causing her to sway and grasp at her hammering heart as it burned her insides, threatening to rip out her lungs and devour her soul. So much pain, the pain of grief and loss.

 _"Obi_ …" Her hoarse whisper was snatched away in her throat as she struggled for air, feeling her entire world spin as she felt the tremor in the Force even though it was far across the galaxy that her loved one had disappeared. People came running towards her, fearful that Jupiter was in pain and Kale grasped her shoulders as she crumbled, falling to the ground with her as Jupiter felt all strength leave her as if it were sapped away like a leech. "It cannot be… _Obi-Wan_ …" A part of her wanted to refuse the truth but in her mind, she knew that she was not wrong. Obi-Wan was gone, his presence was no longer solid or tangible, it were as if he had evaporated into smoke and disappeared on a breeze that had snatched him away. "Anakin…what have you done?" Her words were inaudible as the tears threatened to show, panic rumbling around her as Kale held her in his arms and tried to draw an answer from her but Jupiter was in too much shock to hear any of it. Obi-Wan had merged into the Force and there was no longer any way that she would be able to be with him. Not now, not ever. He was gone. Just like that.

This truth was almost too much to bear so she closed her eyes against it, a weak sob escaping her as she clutched her chest and turned her head, feeling weak and vulnerable in her sorrow until Ahsoka appeared on the scene and ordered everyone to leave so that she and Kale could return Jupiter to her room. She drifted like a ghost, her head hung low and with no ability to even respond as they settled her upon her bed and made her comfortable, Ahsoka assuming the single seat in the room to stand vigil over her. "What happened? Is Master alright?"

"We shall see." Ahsoka answered though she was in as much bewilderment as the others. She knew as well as any that Jupiter kept numerous secrets from them all. The secrets she kept were no secret in that she kept them, as Jupiter often admitted and openly accepted that she had things that she could not tell any other living soul in the galaxy but everyone loved and trusted Jupiter to keep them as she saw fit. Occasionally she would reveal something to them if it were necessary, gradually shedding more and more light upon what was really happening in the galaxy, but much she still guarded close to her heart.

Sitting beside Jupiter, Ahsoka reached out and held her hand as Kale left to calm the others down, not wanting there to be too much of a disturbance. Jupiter had fallen into a kind of trance, eyes closed but unmoving despite being awake whilst around her, unsettled vibrations disrupted the Force which threatened to blossom into a full blown episode that Ahsoka had never before experienced but remembered her former master telling her about. A force wave so powerful and destructive that Jupiter would almost completely lose control. "Master? Jupiter?" Ahsoka prompted quietly, still holding her by the hand. "I am right here if you need me. I am always going to be right here."

Her words filtered through to Jupiter but she did not respond to them, meditating quietly to let go of her grief and sorrow so that she might move one, however as she meditated, she found herself falling away from the world and rising to a familiar place where a hand rested upon her shoulder and a nostalgic warmth guarded over her. Qui-Gon. She was glad for his company, revelling in his closeness until she began to feel someone else beside her. "Obi."

" _I am right here, my dear, right beside you_." He promised her in an older voice than she remembered. Her eyes remained closed so that she could not see them, but she could feel them as if they were right there with her, not dead or transcended but still very much alive. It was a comfort, though still tinged with sadness. She should have known that there would be no future between herself and Obi-Wan, that they were never meant to be together in peace as it was not the way of the universe. They would have no new lifetime, no future lives to live, nothing. Just endless time and space in which Jupiter will one day transcend to join him, never again to touch him or see him.

That was the end of her dreams, with the passing of the one man she had always loved from the very beginning. As she fell into sleep, memories of their time together flit through her mind. The moment of their meeting, the gentle teasing as they became better acquainted, Obi-Wan sitting for endless hours in the grand archives of the temple to teach her reading, writing, languages and arithmetic. So much precious time yet not enough to satisfy Jupiter. She had always wanted more, always wanted to go back and change everything so that they might all be happy together. She imagined Shmi and her father resting in the shade of their own cottage with Obi-Wan and Jupiter walking hand in hand by a river, carefree and unburdened by troubles once more as Anakin chased the tiny twins with Padme laughing upon a blanket spread, the long grass brushing at her skin as the warm sun of Naboo shone over them as Keyes, Rex, Ahsoka, Master Windu and Master Yoda came to visit or live close by as they chose.

It would have been a perfect life. A wonderful life. A life that Jupiter could have enjoyed to the fullest and never have any regrets at all. However it was a life that can never be as all fades into the harshest of realities and Jupiter was left with nothing but memories and wistful thinking, wondering about the eye colour of the children that she will never have.


	26. Chapter 26

It took some time to recover from the loss of her beloved, however Jupiter pulled herself from her reverie and began to make preparations. The time for the return of the Jedi was not yet upon them and would not be so for some decades, however Jupiter knew that her role was still not over in this fight. The small measure of peace that she had found was over and now it was time that she began to actively take part in fighting back the Dark Side, which meant that only the most advanced Jedi were chosen to go out into the universe and slowly begin to unravel the tight net that the Sith had cast over all. The battle for the galaxy was just beginning and this time, Jupiter was adamant that they not fail.

Her mind was constantly watching over Leia and Luke to ensure that they were never in any real danger though, just like their parents, they always found a way to get into trouble. Jupiter spent weeks making plans and arranging the Order to ensure that everyone would remain safe, Roo faithfully at her side all the while as she, Kanan and Ahsoka made up the core council, speaking in private often to discuss the best courses of action before putting their plans before the rest of the council. Soon her hair went from deep black to heavy grey, the stress affecting her body as the weight of so many secrets began to dig deeper into her shoulders. At times like this, she missed Obi-Wan the most as he would be the one she would turn to for counsel.

All the same, Jupiter refused to give way. She strode with a proud and determined step as she watched Luke face his father for the first time, Darth Vader. Her gaze was fixated upon him through the Force as Anakin revealed himself much to Luke's despair, however with an impulse of comfort that she conveyed to him, Luke suddenly felt warm and at peace as he clung for his life to keep from falling. That presence, he knew it. He'd felt it somewhere before. He knew that there was no one else there to save him yet as he felt the Force act upon him, it were almost as if someone were placing their arms around him and there was a voice whispering, almost too faintly to be anything but his own thoughts but the voice was most definitely a woman's.

" _Use the Force, Luke. Let it guide you. Let go."_ Jupiter whispered to him, trying to help him survive and with her presence wrapped close to him yet still untraceable by Vader, Luke took a deep breath and allowed himself to let go and put his faith in the Force. Almost immediately Jupiter guided him towards a vent where he disappeared out of Vader's reach. She remained with him, keeping her eye upon his safety as Luke called out first for Ben and then for Leia, bringing her back to him so that she could rescue him from the planet.

Her precious twins were a constant worry upon Jupiter's mind as she continued to plan and predict the movements of the Sith, placing the final pieces upon the game board as it were. "Master Jupiter, are you certain that this is the right course of action?" Ahsoka questioned Jupiter not for the first time as the two of them walked together with their grey hoods pulled up over their heads to hide their faces as they moved through the busy city of one of the main star system's planets. "We cannot afford to reveal ourselves so soon, we are not yet strong enough to withstand an attack should we be discovered."

"Which is why we need allies and exactly why we are not going to tell them who we are." Jupiter answered smoothly, carefully stepping to the side to avoid being bumped into the shoulder. With a smile she placed a warm hand upon Ahsoka's arm to console and reassure her. "There is nothing to fear, little 'Soka. Roo will keep us safe, isn't that right my dear friend?" Jupiter looked down to her droid who beeped brightly at the two of them, making them both chuckle as Roo carried their lightsabers in order to further conceal their true identity. "It is not good for us to become so completely out of touch with the galaxy, 'Soka, so let's have some fun whilst we're here. Hm?" Giving a twinkling smile Jupiter ducked into a bar which a protesting Ahsoka behind her but begrudgingly following.

Jupiter ordered herself several drinks before taking a seat in a shadowy booth, keeping her senses alert to patiently await the arrival of their possible ally and fellow rebel. "We should not be here."

"Why ever not? Have a drink or two 'Soka, you'll feel better. All that meditating has made your sense of adventure turn into something as dull as a potato." Jupiter informed her blankly, downing two shots one after the other before delicately drawing her finger against her lips to wipe away the excess as Ahsoka simply stared at her. "You'll draw attention to yourself like that Ahsoka, sit down, sit down and relax." Prompted by the words of her master, Ahsoka sat down warily into the booth alongside Jupiter, still uncertain that this was a good idea but allowed herself to have a drink. The cool liquid warmed her insides and Ahsoka found that she had rather missed the taste of a sprit lifting beverage.

"So who are we waiting for?"

"A representative from an old family who owns business throughout the galaxy. They tend to deal in trade however since the rule of the Empire, they have been limited in their transactions and most of their property has been taken. For now we are not openly suggesting a coup, we are simply gathering intelligence and scouting out potential allies and partners for when we make our move against the Sith." Jupiter informed Ahsoka, taking a little more time with her third drink as not to get too overwhelmed.

"Understood. Did we have to meet _here_ though? I can't even remember the last time I went into an ordinary backstreet bar." Ahsoka mused before chuckling a little. "It almost feels like the old days, as if…as if they're just going to walk through those doors to meet with us for drinks before going on a mission together." Her voice dropped a little and Jupiter also felt a painful twinge of regret and remorse for all things lost, however she did not allow the emotion to show.

"Our history is a tragic one, 'Soka, and in later generations the poets shall weep for our torment and adversities, however for now we must persevere through them and emerge safely on the other side. The painful truth is we have no time to weep and less time to properly grieve. Hold your head high, little 'Soka, you still have me. You and I are all that is left of a life we both cherished together." Ahsoka slowly lifted her head and exhaled and although she gave a weak smile, her eyes were heavily laid with burden.

"All this time, I do not know how it is you have remained so strong. Sometimes I can feel myself crumbling on the inside and I do not know how to fix myself. How do you do it? How do you keep on going as if nothing is affecting you?" She questioned however before Jupiter could answer, she sensed the presence of their scheduled appointment.

"Later, I will show you later." Jupiter promised her quickly before rising to her feet and greeting the alien species warmly and with friendliness, shaking their hand and introducing herself as René Tan-Jinn. The meeting went smoothly and by the end, Jupiter was confident that she had planted the seeds of rebellion and the family representative was stewing over the idea of helping his family take back what was theirs. Ahsoka and Jupiter stole away in silence, Roo rolling along behind them and whistled indignantly every time he was bumped against. "Come along now Roo, do not play around." Jupiter called out to him and he bleeped at her sharply as if he were huffing. "People bump into you because you are small, my little friend. Come on, stay beside me and 'Soka so that you do not get lost." She guided him and Roo quickly jerked forwards, accidentally knocking into her legs however Jupiter was so used to his clumsiness that she merely laughed.

"This droid is on his last legs surely. His motor controls are all over the place." Ahsoka mused with a purse of her lips as she looked down at Roo. "Shouldn't you think about getting a newer model?" At that Roo screeched angrily and gave Ahsoka a sharp electric shop with his rod, causing her to yelp and jump away upon instinct. "Hey!"

"Roo doesn't like to be talked about like scrap, do you my friend?" Jupiter questioned, rubbing the top of his head whereby he wailed unhappily. "Don't worry Roo, I wouldn't replace you for all the world. You function in your very own special way which is very endearing. Now, apologise to 'Soka since that was a rather unnecessary sting you gave her." In response Roo whirred apologetically at Ahsoka who chuckled.

"I'm sorry for insulting you Roo, I keep on forgetting how much you're like Artoo. Let's hurry, we still have to meet with that other person. Maz Kanata, was it?"

"That's right. She's an old soul, old enough to remember most of the history of the Jedi." Jupiter said as they boarded back onto their ship. Roo, set coordinates for the planet Takodana." Roo bleeped happily and set to work, Jupiter taking control of the ship whilst Ahsoka flew co-pilot. The stars blurred past them and Jupiter let the lights flicker through her eyes, absorbing the briefest glimpses through the Force of the worlds and systems they passed.

"What were you going to show me, Master Jupiter? Back in the bar, you said…"

"I know, Ahsoka. Turn to face me and close your eyes." Jupiter instructed, swivelling in her chair and Ahsoka did the same before allowing her eyes to slide shut. "Now, what I am about to show you is…is more precious than anything else in the galaxy as well as more dangerous, more secretive and quite possible the greatest hope we have for the future. I know I can trust you, Ahsoka, but do you trust yourself? This information cannot fall into the wrong hands. You must be prepared to die for this, to give up everything in a heartbeat in order to protect it. Are you certain you are ready, little 'Soka?" Ahsoka smiled distantly at the pet name Jupiter used for her, reminding her of Master Plo-Koon.

"I am always prepared to die, Jupiter, I am not afraid of becoming one with the Force." She answered calmly so Jupiter nodded her head then reached forwards and touched a finger to Ahsoka's forehead and allowed the Force to act between them like a conduit, opening the gates to her mind and immediately Ahsoka was swamped with images and pictures, memories of two young children being born. A boy and then a girl, both of which Jupiter had held in her arms whilst weeping over their mother. Padme.

"Starlight…" Ahsoka whispered, hearing the word whispered in her mind as the girl grew up behind her eyes, becoming a beautiful young woman wearing pure white like an angel of the stars. "Sunbeam…" The same happened for the boy, watching him grow up on a planet of sand which Jupiter herself had lived on for the first fifteen years of her life. When Jupiter drew back her hand Ahsoka's eyes flew open after seeing a picture of Anakin as they had both remembered him, smiling and full of warmth and love. There were tears in her eyes. "All this time…you've carried this secret?" Jupiter nodded her head solemnly. "I didn't…I never…I would never have guessed. Anakin and Padme…they were married? And those children…they're?"

"My niece and nephew. Luke and Leia. Together they hold the destiny of their father and the Force is guiding them towards it. I want nothing more than to shield them from everything, to hide them away from the influence of the Empire and the danger, but I know that I cannot save them from their own fates. Luke will become a Jedi and will either help us to reclaim balance…or be the final push that sends us over the edge whilst Leia is the one who will guide everyone else in the galaxy. I…I know that they are the next generation and I must eventually allow them to take over, however I cannot help but want to shield them. If I could just take this away from them, give them both just one day to simply be themselves and know of one another…then I would be very happy." Jupiter murmured before smiling. "They are very beautiful children, aren't they?"

"Yes." Ahsoka stammered through the choke of her breath. "Yes they are. Oh Anakin…he has no idea?"

"No and neither does Darth Vader or Darth Sidious. No one knows. The only people who were aware of their birth were myself, Master Yoda, Master…Kenobi…and Senator Organa who adopted Leia." Jupiter explained. She had stuttered minutely upon saying Obi-Wan's name and although she had recovered quickly it had not been unnoticed by Ahsoka. "Obi-Wan took Luke to his other family on Tattooine and remained to watch over him. We…that was the last time we say one another. It was almost twenty years ago now."

"You loved him. Didn't you?" Lifting her head Ahsoka watched as Jupiter's hands gripped onto the handles of the control panel more tightly even though they were on autopilot. "I'm not sure how I missed it before but now that I think about it, I can tell that you were both in love with one another. How did you manage to hide it?"

"We didn't hide it." Jupiter answered simply. "We Jedi are not disallowed to love, Ahsoka. It's rather complicated, but Obi and I were just perfect for one another. Soul mates. Star crossed, whatever you like to call it. We fit together so impeccably that it was almost unreal. For the longest of times we did not know that we were in love with one another because it was so natural and seamless. Obi and I matched, just like that, but we were also so dedicated to our lives as Jedi that we were both ready to let one another go. It hurts, in fact it is excruciatingly painful, but I keep moving forwards and the pain just comes along with me. You see Ahsoka…whereas Anakin loved Padme so much that he was willing to destroy anything just to protect her, Obi and I loved one another in a way that meant that we would build anything just to make the other happy. This is why I keep on going, I am building a place that he would have loved to have seen."

"I see." Ahsoka murmured thoughtfully, eyes slightly downcast. "I think…I think that our laws are wrong when it comes to love." Jupiter looked up in surprise. "I do not think we should be encouraged to abstain from romantic attachments, I think they _should_ be allowed only with certain costs. If you wish to marry someone and be with them, then you must declare yourself before the council and…and be taken off active duty except for extreme circumstances. That is what I think. Perhaps if Anakin had had that option, then none of this would have happened."

"We cannot know what would have happened should anything had changed, little 'Soka, but I agree. There are many things that still need to be changed and amended concerning the rules. For an Order who promotes love, we restrict ourselves from it too much. There is nothing I would have liked more than to have a life with Obi. A family. Can you imagine…can you…we would have had such beautiful children." Ahsoka saw the regret in Jupiter's eyes so reached across and placed a firm hand on her shoulder, giving her a smile.

"The most beautiful children in the galaxy." She agreed and somehow, that made Jupiter feel a little better. Jupiter chuckled slightly. Here she was, a middle aged woman lamenting her past. She could imagine Maz and what she would say in her sharp and boisterous tone. She would tell her to stop crying as it was unbecoming from a woman her age and to pull herself back together. "Let's continue building that new world, Jupiter. That new era of peace that Obi-Wan and Padme would have loved to be a part of. Let's build it for them, and for Anakin too, the real Anakin. Let's make it the greatest place this galaxy will ever see. I'll help you. I won't stop fighting for it, not until I've breathed my last."

"Yes." Jupiter agreed softly, feeling a renewed strength within her as she lifted her head high. "We'll do it for them, it's what they would have wanted."


	27. Chapter 27

She could sense it. His tiredness, his weariness, that dull ache of carrying so much pressure upon his shoulders even though it had not been for very long. Jupiter knew it all too well. She knew her nephew. Silently she walked through the thick amassing jungle and swamp, lightly crossing over a ditch and moving forwards as she tracked Luke down from where he was hiding in secret just to get away from everything, trying to hide and train in private just to keep his mind from slipping into insanity.

Luke had returned to Dagobah in order to try and hone his skills, however he did not sense or even suspect that someone else was on that planet with him. Or at least, no one with a conscience or sentimental capacity or did not reek of swamp water. In fact, when Luke turned around and saw the figure standing there, he was so floored from shock that he almost did not reach for his lightsaber and draw it forwards in a natural instinct to protect himself.

"It's alright my sunbeam, I'm not here to hurt you." Jupiter reassured him, lifting her hands slowly and drawing back her hood to reveal her face to him, giving him a smile which was full of softness and a sense of love which was strange for him to see in the eyes of a stranger. Sunbeam. She had called him sunbeam.

"Who are you? How do you know of this place?" Luke demanded to know, weapon still trained on the person however she nonchalantly began to make her way over to him, carefully stepping on the stones and taking particular caution concerning anything suspicious looking and not treading in it. "Stop. Do not come closer." His hostile voice gave Jupiter pause, her eyes flickering over him and she was thoughtful for a few moments, noting how Luke did not look much like his father or mother, rather he had a mixture of both of them in his features whereas Leia looked very much like her mother.

"You know me Luke, just think a little. Process, meditate even if you will. Who else in the entire galaxy would come to this place, the home of Master Yoda, expecting to find someone else whom she has longed to meet for a very long time?" Jupiter questioned, turning to face him fully before continuing to walk forwards. "Who else would know that for your sixth birthday, you received a brand new drone which you then used to fly over your moisture farm and carry things back and forth before you then crashed it into one of the cyclones and destroyed it? Who else would know that you lost your arm whilst battling your own father? Who else would know that despite all these years apart, you would have your father's eyes and your mother's profile? Come now Sunbeam, who do you think I am?" Luke stared for a long while, lapsing into speechlessness before making a small gesture with his head.

"You're my godmother?" He questioned and Jupiter nodded her head.

"That's right. I am. Though I am much more than that, I think we can start with godmother quite comfortably." She mused before slowly reaching out, brushing her fingers against his cheek before settling her hand there. "By the stars, I did not think I would ever be able to come this close to you ever again. You have grown so much since I held you as a newly born babe. Luke…my sunbeam." Emotions rising high Jupiter pulled back her trembling hand, intending to turn and hide her face so that he would not see the tears prickling at her eyes however Luke sheathed his weapon and reached out gently, taking her hand in his.

"My godmother, you're my godmother." Luke murmured almost in disbelief as Jupiter nodded her head, exhaling shakily as a tear slipped down her face and dropped to the ground like a raindrop.

"Yes. I am. I am also your aunt, your father was my younger brother. Oh Luke, I am so sorry. I am so sorry for everything, for not being able to come to you, protect you when you needed me, I wish I could have helped raise you and shown you how to build your first speeder, I wish…" Jupiter choked on her own words and Luke drew her against him, accepting her into his embrace and Jupiter found herself feeling as if her entire world was slowly beginning to knit back together.

"It's not your fault. I always knew you were watching over me, I could sense it through the Force." Luke murmured and Jupiter closed her eyes and gripped onto him securely, revelling in the closeness she had with him. The last time Jupiter had held Luke, he'd only been a few hours old. Now he was nearing twenty and he was taller than she was. "Master Yoda talked about you a little, made me understand a few things before he passed. He told me that you have done nothing but make sacrifices for others, including me, all this time. For me and my sister, Leia."

"So he told you."

"No, Master Obi-Wan was the one to tell me." That caused Jupiter to jerk slightly, drawing back and gripping onto his arms as she frowned.

"Obi-Wan? My Obi? He was the one who told you about Leia?" Nodding his head Luke brought Jupiter over to the small hut where Yoda had once lived, stoking the fire so that it was bright and warm before explaining everything to her and within a few minutes, Jupiter understood. "Oh Obi, still looking out for you even after everything that's happened." Jupiter murmured before smiling nostalgically. "You know, I wanted to come and find you much sooner, but the time never seemed quite right. After all, I am something of the past and would only have brought you more trouble should the Empire ever learn that I was alive. I did not think you would want the Emperor using you to get to me. I am sorry."

"Don't be, you're here now and that's all that matters. I've wanted to meet you for the longest time. Ever since I lost my aunt and uncle back home, I felt all alone. Then I found Ben and Han, Chewie and Leia, I have a family once more. Then you show up out of nowhere and…and it's like I know you. I can feel the history that surrounds you, it's like you've always been there right beside me all this time. I even remember dreaming about you a few times." Luke said as he tried to find something to eat so Jupiter produced two ration packs from within her robes and handed one to Luke.

"Yes, that was a technique I use through the Force. You were dreaming in a sense, however I really was there with you. I did not feel right leaving you completely alone so that was how I kept an eye on you, my sunbeam. Leia too, however due to the different circumstances I was able to go and see her from a very young age and she had grown up knowing me as Aunt René." Luke smiled softly at that so Jupiter began to tell him stories, stories of herself, his father, Uncle Ben as he called him and Leia. She filled the hours with the life she had known and filled all the spaces in his knowledge, helping him to fully understand everything that surrounded him until her jaw ached from all the talking.

Luke look contemplative, sitting with his fingers laced together so Jupiter stood up, leaning down a little as not to knock her head on the ceiling before taking one of the blankets and placing it around Luke as it had become chilly even with the fire. "All will reveal itself in time, Luke. Right now you should sleep and tomorrow, I shall help you continue your training so that you can become a great Jedi Knight." Lifting his head Luke nodded minutely, pulling the blanket around him.

"Aunt Jupiter, I just have one question." Luke said as Jupiter found herself somewhere comfortable to sit, pulling one blanket around her shoulders and the other to place over her legs. "How did things become so out of balance? Were the Sith always this powerful and they were just biding their time?"

"I think we were simply negligent, sunbeam." Jupiter answered in a soft murmur as his eyes slowly began to close. "We became so used to peace that we failed to recognise the signs for war. Do not worry, my sweet sunbeam. I am here now so I can protect you, I'll always protect you and your sister, my starlight. You are the future not only for the Jedi Order but for the galaxy itself and although the burden is heavy, I'll be there to carry it with you. You're not alone anymore, Luke Skywalker. Not alone at all."

"Good. I'm glad." Luke murmured and Jupiter looked towards him, noticing that his hand was fiddling with something around his neck. "This was yours wasn't it? Ben gave it to me before he died. He told me that it belonged to someone he loved more than anything and that they had given it to him to take care of, but that he knew that they would want me to have it from now on. This necklace, it's yours isn't it?" Jupiter did not even have to look at it to know that it was her necklace that he was wearing. The one that had been her fathers, whom had given it to her mother and then been given to her after being left on Tatooine for her own safety. The necklace she had worn for the first fifteen years of her life before giving it to Shmi Skywalker before Anakin then brought it back to her after her death and then been passed into Obi-Wan's keeping because it had carried too many painful memories. That same necklace, bound on black cord with the emblem of the Jedi Order.

"Yes. It was mine." Jupiter murmured softly as she gazed up at the mud ceiling. "But it's yours now Luke, I want you to keep it for me as a memento. You have so little to connect you to your past so you keep that and tomorrow, I shall tell you the journey it has been on, because it is as precious to me as the air I breathe. Tomorrow. I'll tell you everything tomorrow." Long after Luke fell asleep, Jupiter fingered her own necklace, the locket which she had gifted to Padme which carried the four locks of hair inside. Tomorrow indeed. Jupiter was going to tell Luke everything tomorrow.


	28. Chapter 28

It came to an end at the Battle of Yavin.

Well, almost.

Jupiter walked through the docking bay of the collapsing Death Star, the second one that her nephew had destroyed. She was not there in person, she was merely a projection made through the Force, however as she approached the body of her brother lying on the ground, his eyes flickered open in recognition of her presence. "Ju…pi…ter…"

"Hello racer." Jupiter answered softly, kneeling down beside Anakin and leaning over him, giving a soft and sweet smile as he lifted a weary hand to reach up towards her. "I'm here, everything will be alright now." Around her the explosions almost drowned out her voice but Darth Vader…now returned to Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, could hear her every word like it were being whispered inside his head. He was glad to see her in his final moments, his heart slowly beginning to stop beating as his mechanical suit shut down.

"Forgive…me…Jupe…" A pained smile flickered across her face as Jupiter placed her spectral hand against his face and although Anakin could not feel the influence of her touch, he could feel her emotions as powerfully as if they were her own. There were tears in her eyes, slowly dripping down her face as she remained beside him even as the world around them burst into flames.

"No need little Annie, you've come back and I love you just as before, my special little brother. I'll be joining you soon so make sure you and Obi-Wan wait for me. I'll be coming soon." Her whispers echoed in his mind as Anakin closed his eyes for the last time, feeling a burst of painful heat just before Jupiter merged his body and soul with the force, his physical form disappearing from sight and suddenly it was like being filled with an endless light and relief. He could feel and see everything and everyone. His son, his daughter, his sister, everything. And he was happy.

Jupiter opened her eyes and quickly lifted a hand to her face which she hid underneath her hood, iron grey and silver hair falling forwards as she choked back the sobs that were tearing at the insides of her throat, making it tight and uncomfortable to even swallow as the sickening pit of her stomach continued to deepen. "Master Jupiter?" Ezra questioned her hesitantly so Jupiter masterfully pulled herself back together, pretending as if nothing was wrong.

"I'm alright Ezra. Come. The final battle will be upon us soon. I predict that the last of the Rebel forces will gather here to launch the final assault against the Empire and this is where they will be assaulted." Although Jupiter had gone through her predictions hundreds of time, it was more like a mantra that she spoke to herself. It had to be right, she could not afford to be wrong. Everything rode on this final battle that she had foreseen whilst meditating time and time again. If she was wrong…then it would mean their end. Luke would be here soon, as would Leia and she would finally be able to embrace them both at the same time.

Over the years she had visited them both, revealed herself to Luke as his godmother after Yoda had passed away to become one with the Force, resuming his training and keeping him on the right path whilst also going to see Leia each year on her birthday and whenever she was needed. Now that they both knew that they were twin siblings, there was no need to hide anything from them any longer. When this battle and the war was over, Jupiter was going to sit down with them and tell them everything from the very beginning and leave no secret left unspoken.

Lifting her head she gazed out upon the ruined fortresses, the barren land lying flat and open, perfect for a tactical assault and large artillery machines. Jupiter's hand twitched in anticipation towards her lightsaber. She had not had need to use it for real battle in nearly twenty five years. "I hope it still works." She mused to herself as she stood upon the rise, hidden from view as ships began to descend from the atmosphere and land within the walls of the ruins, the last of the Rebel Alliance gathering together in order to amass for one final assault. It was not yet. Not quite time. Across the galaxy Jupiter could sense the anticipation of Jedi, Rebels, ordinary citizens and even the Empire's forces, those who were still desperately clinging onto their power. With her she had some of her best Jedi and advanced padawans, the younger ones remaining safely hidden away. Ezra and the Ghost crew were with her, ready to jump into the fight.

"So when will the Empire be here? It's been a while since I've tangled with them so I might be a little rusty." Lips curling upwards into a smile Jupiter turned away, Ezra walking with her.

"Funnily enough I was thinking the same thing, young Ezra. Do not worry, this is our moment to return as Jedi and we will not fail. This is the moment we have all been waiting for. What the entire galaxy has been waiting for and we are all fully prepared. There is nothing to fear, our allies will not let us down." Jupiter assured him as they returned to where the Jedi had hidden themselves away in order to remain concealed.

"But why did you send Ahsoka and Kanan elsewhere? Surely you'll need them here." Ezra questioned however Jupiter just continued to smile.

"This is not the only battlefront we will be fighting on, Ezra. Come, lend me your attention for a while and I shall show you." Walking to her tent Jupiter stepped inside and invited Ezra inside, drawing back her hood so that her silvery grey hair as striking as storm clouds fell free. "This may be where the Empire will concentrate their main fire, however there are still pockets of their influence and strength throughout the galaxy. We have our best here, however we also have our betters elsewhere. Ahsoka and Kanan will be on Coruscant. There they will take back the Senate as well as our Temple. Master Vos has gone to Kashyyk and Master Khalifa, Master O'Mer and Master Jinx have also been assigned their own missions as other star systems must be reclaimed in order to wipe out the influence of the Empire. Ryloth. Naboo. This will end in one strike, Ezra, so have faith in us all as we have faith in you. Soon we will have peace."

"Peace…seems almost unreal." He murmured before smiling confidently and nodding his head. "I'll get my unit ready, I sense we will not be waiting long."

"No. Indeed not." Jupiter agreed, knowing that they had mere hours left. Her heart was beating softly in her chest and as Ezra left, she noted the fact that she did not feel alone. The lingering smile on her lips deepened when she felt a hand upon her shoulder, her own fingers reaching up to join those that were settled there. "Obi."

" _I am with you, my dear. We are all with you._ " He murmured to her softly and Jupiter felt immense comfort from his words, sensing her father nearby also as well as Master Windu. They will be with her, she had no doubts in her mind so as she settled down to meditate, Jupiter prepared herself for the upcoming battle.


	29. Chapter 29

The sounds of blasters and explosions could be heard for miles around. Jupiter could feel the vibrations in the earth and the trembling of the Force as she moved through the fog, keeping her senses alert as the Rebel Alliance were forced to retreat back to the ruins of the ancient city which now stood as their final battleground. Quite honestly Jupiter was a little overwhelmed by the sheer mass of numbers that the Empire had accumulated in such a short amount of time. They had sent absolutely everything they had in order to crush their opposition for the final time, even in the absence of their Death Star they had pure, inconceivable power.

Yet again, so did Jupiter. Even at the age of fifty one, there was none alive now who could compare to her control over the Force and the abilities that she commanded. The fog continued to roll forwards, cutting off the Empire forces' field of vision so they halted their attack as a single heat signature appeared on their scanners. "Halt!" The general who had been given command, a great honour and one to surely bring him recognition, frowned. Just a single person? The small blip might have even been a malfunction, however as the fog cleared slightly, something began to go wrong. All of their equipment and machines trembled, groaning and quaking as if something had reached down and was crushing them completely.

As quickly as it had begun it stopped, causing the ground forces to shift nervously as they warily eyed their assault machines, carefully observing them to ensure they were not about to explode. "General!" A voice called out and he turned his head to look across the fog where all at once, a bright orange light appeared with a thrum of sound. It blared against the ears of all those who were watching, mouths dropping open as the forces behind, the rebels, stared in equal shock at the sight of a single orange blade. Most had no clue what it meant, however to some, it meant everything in the galaxy.

"General…" Keyes stared in disbelief, his greyed silvery beard twitching in shock as he looked at that single orange light in the fog, Rex also at his side even older than he was.

"Well I'll be. She's back. The general has finally come back." Rex breathed before giving a hearty laugh, the sound booming outwards as more light began to shine from amidst the fog. Blades of green and blue shining like beacons as Leia stared, Han and Chewbacca at her side with Luke slowly stepping forwards, watching as the fog peeled back to reveal a mass of hundreds. Perhaps even a thousand Jedi knights, all of them standing between the Empire's army and the last of their forces. They remained greatly outnumbered, however even then more ships started to pop into existence in the atmosphere, bearing down upon the empire as Jupiter lifted her hand, displaying it high in the air before cutting down all at once.

And just like that, everything burst into movement and sound. Bombs exploded as the ground tore itself up from the traps that Jupiter had planned ahead, cutting off the escape routes and pushing parts of the army away from the core sector where the enemy general stood in horror as a fleet of ships bombarded the Star Destroyers, fighter pilots coming down and bringing hell down upon his larger machines and he could barely manage to order a return fire. Jupiter remained calm, sending out her orders even as she continued to advance upon the ground forces, intending to lay waste and have them all surrender before nightfall. It had to happen all at once, it had to be a unanimous defeat otherwise pockets would escape and rise again.

As Jupiter began to increase her pace to a run, her other hand swung out and to it jumped another lightsaber and this time, the blade that emerged was brilliantly purple. "Guide me Master, this is for you and all those who suffered that day." The quiet whisper was lost within the sounds of battle, something that Jupiter had not heard for a very long time, not since the war against the Separatists. Everything was so familiar yet unrecognisable. The blur of light from the luminous blades shone around Jupiter as she carved a path directly to the heart of the army, the allies she had accumulated over the years. There was Hondo and all the smugglers in the galaxy he could find, the Wookies whom she had helped free from slavery, the Mandalorians who had rallied under Sabine, Geonosians whom had returned to greater numbers after the Empire had tried to destroy them and everyone Jupiter could bring to her side in this final battle.

The ground exploded close to her however with a flick of her hand she used the Force to send the shockwave back towards the enemy, sending them flying as her reverse grip on her blades switched and she moved like a bright whir of movement and colour, her eyes focused and instincts readied to expect every possible outcome to this battle. Back at the fort, the rebels were cheering in celebration at the arrival of their unexpected allies. The Jedi were a sight to behold and to most, who had only known the Jedi to be figures of legend, were dumbfounded to see them in such numbers and at such strength. It brought Jupiter pride and the moment she had fulfilled her task she handed the command over to Ezra who took their unit the rest of the way to hurry back.

She fought her way to the fortress, holding out a hand and lifted a walker off the ground by herself, crunching the circuits inside and throwing it full force into the air where it crashed against another and the thunderous boom shook the ground as she sheathed her weapons and continued to walk forwards, eyes fixing upon a particular spot where two figures were running towards her. Luke and Leia. Luke had his lightsaber in hand and was expertly deflecting blaster fire as his sister returned volley, however Jupiter stopped and held out her hands, guiding the Force before she clenched her fists and with a yell, punched the ground.

Immediately it trembled, rearing its head and cracking open as the ripple caused the Storm Troopers to fall onto their backs as Jupiter then turned around, fists still closed as she pummelled her fist against another trooper and sent him flying into a speeder bike, crashing both into a pile of rubble before her orange blade appeared in her hand and with expert swipes, cleared the way to her niece and nephew whereby she ignored everything around them and pulled them both in her arms. "Finally." Breathing softly Jupiter clutched them tightly, closing her eyes as she marvelled in the sensation of holding them both against her for the first time since they were born. "Finally, I have you both with me. You've grown so much the two of you, my starlight, my sunbeam, I'm never letting go of you again."

"Aunt Jupiter." They both answered and Jupiter could feel the brightness of Leia's smile so she hid her tears and smiled also, the three of them finally reuniting upon the battlefield whereby Jupiter then pulled Leia aside and had her stand close to her, refusing to allow anything to come within ten feet of her niece as she and Luke fought side by side, Leia finding cover and watching their backs as Chewbacca and Han arrived also. He roared to Jupiter in recognition and Jupiter answered with a laugh.

"I know Chewbacca, it is a small universe after all. It has been a long time since we last met."

"Wait, you know this old lady?" Han demanded and Jupiter answered him with a smack to the back of his head, shooting him a look as he yelped in pain.

"Old? I am not quite _that_ old you uncouth, scruffy looking scoundrel. If you have any intention to marry my precious niece then you had do a better job at impressing me." Han eyes widened in shock as Leia smirked slightly, trying her best to remain serious considering the position they were all in at the present.

"Scruffy looking… _niece_?! Okay, so first I find out that you're Luke's sister and now I find out you have an aunt who just so happens to call me scruffy looking and has two rather dangerous looking laser swords. Any crazy uncles or cousins you want to warn me about?" Han demanded to know however Leia merely kissed him in response, the two of them hunkered down undercover with Chewbacca close by still firing upon the enemy as they tried to take over the fort. Jupiter smiled to herself, enjoying the sensation of their peaceful love against the chaos of battle.

"Aunt Jupiter, look out!" Luke called in warning so Jupiter turned, quickly dispatching her opponents before taking a moment to breathe and look around. Perhaps she was not as young as she thought, her back was already starting to ache and the battle had barely begun. Soon enough she would know how Master Yoda had felt back in the day. Just as Jupiter was about to go and oversee the tactical assault on the enemy cannons, the presence of familiar and dearly missed loved ones caused her to stop and turn her head, seeing an ancient looking Rex and an aged Keyes coming towards her, still laying fire upon the enemy but looking pretty intent on reaching her.

With a lift of her hand the broken rocks of the bridge rose up and flew away, crushing the artillery guns and the Storm Troopers, allowing Rex and Keyes to leave the fort and head straight for her. "General! General it's us, it's…"

"I know who you are, Rex, you do not need to tell me." Jupiter told him warmly as she walked towards them both, calling out over the sound of battle. "No matter how old and different you look, I shall always be able to recognise you. Rex, Keyes, it's so…" Before she could even finish, both had crushed their arms around her and pulled her close for an embrace. "Keyes?" Keyes was holding onto her so tightly that she could barely breathe, her arms naturally rising as much as they could to hold them also however Keyes was clenching his face with unbound emotion as his fingers gripped into the grey robes she wore.

"General. General Jupiter. We knew. We always knew you'd come back. We never lost hope or doubted you for a second and now you're here. You're here." He was nearly crying, the tears ready and waiting to fall even as he fought them so as Rex released Jupiter and gave her a hearty pat and a smile before taking up a place to hold off the ground forces, Jupiter was able to wrap her arms around Keyes and place one hand against his shaved head.

"Forgive me for leaving you for so long, Keyes." Jupiter whispered to him softly, his head resting against her shoulder as his fingers brushed against her wrist where her bracelet lay. Above them the _Unbowed_ and _Unbroken_ flew overhead to join the battle, the _Hammerfell_ also joining them and both Keyes and Jupiter looked up, watching them fly with a mixture of emotions shared between them before they looked back at one another once more, leaning forwards until their foreheads rested against one another. "I won't ever leave your side again. I promise." Jupiter murmured and Keyes nodded his head before pulling back and saluting.

"General Jupiter, Commander Keyes reporting for duty." Keyes stated, gazing at her with nostalgic dark eyes and Jupiter's mouth twitched into a smile whilst trying to maintain her composure.

"You may dispense with the formalities, Keyes, you know that they are unnecessary." Behind them Jupiter sensed all the Clone Troopers who had remained to fight until the very end, recognising several of them instantly as men she herself had once commanded long ago. Turning around she faced them and her chest panged with heavy pain. They were all older, greyer and even white haired, wrinkled and not as spritely as they had once been, but still Jupiter felt that same sense of kinship with them all as the day she had first introduced herself as they had stood in formation just like now, awaiting her orders. "Prepare to advance, those cannons are going to be turned against the enemy and I'll be damned if those walkers get within firing range of the base. Understood soldiers?"

"Sir yes sir!" A smile stretched across her face as Jupiter ignited her orange blade, Keyes straightening up and lifting his blaster a little higher as the orange glow smoothed out her wrinkles and detracted attention from the greying streaks in her dark hair. To him, she was still the same. He could see her as she was once before, young and full of life, energised and always ready for battle with a mind so unique that he always struggled to keep up and follow along with her. With her recognisable and distinguishable orange blade, Jupiter was as they all remembered and as if the years were being peeled away from her face, she placed a hand upon her hip and lifted her head high with a pride which only Jupiter could carry, a pride which brought her respect and the love of the men who now followed her willingly and without fear.

"And I am _not_ a sir."


	30. Chapter 30

Naboo was a beautiful place, a place where Jupiter could finally find her rest and peace now that the war was over. The Empire had fallen and the last of its power had been snatched away with the return of the Jedi who had freed the people and liberated the star systems from slavery, corruption and darkness. There was so much light in the galaxy that Jupiter could not help but feel all of her sadness and grief being eased away from her as she sat upon a comfortable chair with numerous pillows and a knitted blanket spread over her legs watching the water. Leia was with her, as was Keyes, Rex, Hera, Kanan and the Ghost crew and the little child whom Hera had given birth to three years prior.

Jacen was a very cheeky child and Jupiter had fallen for his charms easily the moment she had met him. He had anchored himself to his father the moment he had met him, somehow sensing the connecting to his father despite being so young. Jupiter loved Naboo, she was only sorry it had taken her fifty years to finally be able to come and simply enjoy the scenery around her as well as the waterfalls. This was the world of her birth, after all, and it will always be beautiful to her. The fact that she could simply enjoy the breeze and not worry about anyone trying to kill her or hunt her down.

Everything had gone perfectly to plan that day, the day after the Battle of Yavin where the galaxy had finally ended the Galactic Empire. In the spirit of moving forwards, the Republic had not been reinstated. Instead, Senators from all star systems were convening and debating on the next course of action with Leia's father Bail Organa being one of the main advocates for the movement into a new era. Jupiter had been asked to attend, however she had feigned an injury and decided to send someone else in her stead, wanting to have some time to enjoy the peace.

Since the ending of the Empire, there were plenty of other things which still needed to be seen to. The dark side of the Force was still at work and it would be many years before the numerous planets affected and even ravaged by the many wars would recover, however Jupiter was of a firm conviction that they would find their way to peace. Things were going to be different now, including the Jedi Order. When she would finally return to the Senate as the Grand Master of the Jedi Order, Jupiter was set to announce that the Jedi would no longer be at the beck and call of the Senate, that they would remove themselves from politics and would operate on their own agenda.

She could not see things going back to the way they used to be, constantly having to tiptoe around the Senate in order to get anything done. No. Things had to change, they had to be different. It was the only way they could avoid repeating the same mistakes over again and failing to break the cycle. "Joopy! Mesa so happy in seeing you again!" A voice cried out in endless excitement and immediately Jupiter was standing upright and walking to the edge of the porch, seeing Jar Jar Binks clumsily running forwards with his arms waving madly. "Joopy! Itsa me! Jar-Jar Binks!"

"Jar-Jar!" Jupiter clapped a hand over her mouth before hurriedly descending the steps and running towards Jar-Jar whereby he clumsily fell over his own feet and crashed to the ground, making Jupiter laugh as she reached him and gently placed her hands upon his shoulders and helped him up. "Jar-Jar Binks, I cannot say how glad I am to see you again after so long. Thrilled, elated even. My old friend, it has been far too long." Jupiter said to him as she took in Jar-Jar's face. He had grown visibly older, with paled skin and even a little tendril moustache with decorate beads which swung and clicked with every movement he made.

"Mesa happy to see yousa again too Joopy. Mesa hoping you be coming back for long time now." Jar-Jar informed her before beginning to sob, wailing loudly with an arm flung over his eyes. "Itsa being a long time! Mesa misses you a lot Joopy, yousa never ever going away again!" Jar-Jar was so hysteric that it caused everyone else to wake up and come out from the grand villa to see what was happening to Jupiter amusedly introduced Jar-Jar to everyone, some being able to recognise his name as Jar-Jar was a hero among his people and the people of Naboo for his work as a general from the very first battle of Naboo some thirty or forty years ago.

"I can't believe it, Jar-Jar Binks." Rex muttered before shaking his head and taking up Jupiter's vacant seat, leaning back and was soon snoring away as Jar-Jar began to tell the tale of how he'd fought against the droid army many moons ago. Jupiter smiled, turning her face towards the water and as the breeze lifted, she felt Obi-Wan's presence come to her.

 _"Well done, my dear. Well done indeed."_ He whispered and her smile grew a little further, sensing him still as her father also joined them.

 _"You have made me so very proud, dear one, there is balance once more and peace for all. Be at peace yourself, now, for it is time to lay down your burdens. You will join us when you are ready, so revel in these days."_ He advised her and Jupiter felt the emotion rise in her throat as she sensed Master Windu there also, unspeaking yet she could not mistake his stoic presence as those of all the past Jedi also came, causing her hands to tremble slightly as she gripped a hand to her chest.

 _"We shall be with you always, my darling Jupiter. I shall not leave your side."_ Obi-Wan promised her and for a brief moment, Jupiter saw him as she remembered him. Young and handsome with his neatly trimmed beard and combed back hair, crystalline eyes sparkling like the water of the lake as he stood opposite her before like a breath he was gone and Jupiter was left standing alone. Well, not completely alone.

"Jupiter?" Keyes questioned her softly, frowning a little at her wrought expression but Jupiter merely smoothed away the lines in her forehead with a smile, stepping forwards and placing her arm through his and pulled him closer to her.

"Walk with me Keyes, I'd like to sit by the water for a while."

"Is everything alright sir?" Keyes asked, the old habits of the past still struggling to fade however Jupiter was so used to it now that she hardly noticed.

"Yes. I think everything in this moment is near enough perfect. Wouldn't you agree?" She reasoned softly before humming happily and leaning her head against his shoulder as they stopped for a moment, gazing at the shoreline. The Jedi Order had returned, the galaxy was no longer under the control of a ruthless dictator and the sun was warm upon her face, leaving Jupiter rather at a loss for words as to describe exactly how she felt. Old scars would never heal, however she was confident that all those that she carried, she would carry them proudly and for the rest of her life. "Keyes, I shall have to go back to the Council soon enough and there are still plenty of people out there who will need help and defending. The war is over, but battles still need to be fought."

"I'll be by your side, general, until my dying breath." Jupiter smiled at him gently before leaning across and kissing his cheek, making him freeze before relaxing into the sensation as their closeness became a little more intimate, special and unique only to them.

"Thank you Keyes. I knew I could count on you." Giving him one more dazzling smile Keyes allowed her to lead him to the water where they sat together by the shore, her head resting upon his shoulder as together, they aged. They aged and aged day by day until Keyes was as withered and wrinkled as an old tree, unable to move in his latter days until finally giving his last breath on that same shore, resting upon a chair with blankets and pillows around him whilst Jupiter doted on him. She felt the life leave him and she held his hand for a long while as she gazed across the water, nearing the age of ninety years.

So long. She had lived so long and still she carried her scars. The burns itched and ached occasionally whilst the others tugged and pained her with every movement she made, yet nothing hurt more than bearing witness to the last of her old friends dying beside her. She was glad that she had been with him, her faithful and loyal companion who had never once betrayed her, abandoned her or doubter her. Keyes, the man who had loved her so fully that Jupiter could feel it every second they were beside one another. Yet, even after these past thirty years being dedicated to Keyes, Jupiter had always carried the love of another inside her.

"Obi-Wan. Take care of him for me." Jupiter murmured as her bony fingers curled more securely around Keyes as she looked across the unchanging water, ageless and timeless in its beautiful sereneness. "I'll be along soon. Just you wait a little longer." A sad smile touched Jupiter's lips as she dragged herself onto her feet and began to arrange the funeral. She had Keyes placed in the mausoleum of her own family, the Tan family, wanting him to have a place of his own as he slept in the eternal rest.

After the funeral Jupiter had gone to the pavilion of Padme's tomb stood. There she stood in silence, reflecting on her long years as Luke and Leia joined her, also quiet and much older now that so much time had passed. Leia had darling children of her own now, all of them training under their uncle and great aunt at one of the Jedi temples, though often they were at home with their mother and father as they were still young and Leia hated for them to be away from her for so long. "Aunt Jupiter? Is there anything we can do for you?" Leia asked her gently, placing a hand upon her sleeve however Jupiter merely smiled, her eyes shining with a soft warmth as she gazed at the marble stone of Padme's image.

"No dear, I'm quite alright." Jupiter answered before giving a long sigh, leaning upon her cane before slowly making her way out. "Just promise me you won't build some gaudy memorial when I go. I'd hate the thought of people snivelling over my tomb like I were some sort of angel." That made them both chuckle softly, each taking an arm and walking side by side with their aunt as Jupiter stared blankly at the ground, her sight not quite what it had used to be.

"I'm afraid that'll be impossible aunty, after all you're one of the greatest heroes ever to be recorded in history. They're still telling your stories at the temple, everyone enjoys the adventures you went on and how mad your tactics were." Luke said and Jupiter chuckled again, her throat crackling weakly before she exhaled.

"Poor taste. People have such poor taste these days. Very well then, simply make sure that you keep all those snotty brats at the Senate from making too many speeches and make sure you stop them from naming another planet after me. By the stars, that was a disastrous idea." Jupiter muttered but smiled softly all the same, lifting her head as much as she could. Her farewell to Keyes had been the most sorrow she had felt in a long time. All of her old friends were now gone, including Rex, however she still had the children as well as Ahsoka, Kanan and Ezra and the many new friends she had made over the past thirty years. It was difficult to keep on moving forwards, especially when your bones felt like they were being ground to dust with every movement made, however Jupiter found that the brighter the future looked, the harder it was to look back so she continued looking forwards, waiting for the time when she could happily pass away in quietness and comfort.

Of course being stubborn as she was, Jupiter did not feel the need to let go for many more years to come. When the children, the grand children and the great grandchildren and even more children than that were all quite grown up, Jupiter found herself sitting in the old Council chamber of the Jedi Temple in Coruscant. These days this place was meant for learning, teaching and training. The actual Jedi Council had no presence on this planet on account of the Senate being in such close proximity, however relations had now since settled since the initial uproar of the Jedi's withdrawal from politics.

Jupiter smiled, remembering the outrage of the Senators however when she had simply glared them down, they had all fallen into silence. The new Chancellor was someone whom she had a high opinion of, governing fairly and instead of a Republic, it was now something more of a constitution of planets who ruled themselves but all agreed and adhered to the laws of the galaxy. There was peace and plenty of it, making Jupiter feel satisfied that her work in this life was now finished. She had just finished touring the galaxy for the last time, visiting old friends, nostalgic planets and ensured that everything was set for the future. The next generation were remarkable and strong, so Jupiter lacked no confidence that they would lead well, especially Luke. He was a natural born leader.

Closing her eyes Jupiter remembered the time she had first walked into the council room, arrogant and full of nervous pride which she had used as false bravado against the intimidating gazes of the Jedi Masters. It felt a lifetime ago. In some ways it was. At the grand age of one hundred and four years old, Jupiter felt that her life was fully complete. It was time now, time to move on and lay her burdens down, after all. The scars of her past were beginning to ache and hurt her terribly. Willowy fingers gripped the place where her locket should have been, now passed along to Leia who wore it always so instead she fiddled with the bracelet. The first and only gift Keyes had ever given to her.

"Master? Grand Master Jupiter?" A young girl called out as she stepped into the vacant chamber, seeing nothing and no one except for the discarded robes which pooled around a chair, witnessing as a bracelet fell to the ground along with two ligthsabers which had been repaired time and time again. Rey stopped and stared, looking at the collection of identifiable clothing and the absence of the person meant to be wearing them. With a yell she turned on her heel and cried out for help, not knowing what else to do as the council chamber remained empty, the light shining inside and glinting off the smooth edge of the two weapon hilts and the unique bracelet which had adorned the wrist of the Grand Master for decades.

It was quiet after the door had slid shut, vacant, empty. Not a soul to be seen in that room where Jupiter René Tan-Jinn had closed her eyes for the final time, only to open them and look into pools of blue so familiar and longed for, eyes which she had dreamed about every night since being separated from them, eyes which were filled with such utter love and relief that she could not help but smile as she reached out and touched his cheek.

"Obi."

* * *

 **I want to thank everyone who came on this journey with me and I cannot believe it is over. I'm truly grateful to everyone who has read, re-read and reviewed, I truly appreciate everything. Hopefully I will see you all again on some other fanfic, however I am not sure if I'll ever tackle another Star Wars fiction as it was huge going just to get this one done but hey, who knows? Thanks again everyone, you're all amazing!**


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